Faded Scars
by KashinaKairi
Summary: Some wounds heal quickly, others leave scars. And a few...come back to haunt you. What has Nanao been hiding? Why doesn't she care she has to leave or have a heartache as she leaves? What did Aizen do to her when she was a child? NEW VERSION! Other one was deleted. This is the edited version.
1. The Beginning

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

The forest was dark and the moon was full. There wasn't a sound to be heard in the chilled air. A small child was alone in a clearing and sat on a large boulder. She looked up at the moon and tucked her short black hair behind her ears. Her violet eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

*ROAR*

The child looked towards the monster running into the clearing. She didn't move or scream, just looked at the monster running towards her. She closed her eyes as the monster neared. But nothing came.

The small girl opened her eyes, but she couldn't see anything. Several minutes seemed to pass as the child's eyes adjusted to the dim light peeking out from behind the clouds. She took a tentative step further into the darkened space, but the floor didn't feel right. It felt like something was coating the bottoms of her feet. It was cold and sticky, but also very slick.

She began to make out puddles as the sky cleared and the full moon peeked out from behind the clouds. She looks towards the moon, she can easily see it through the broken down wall before her.

The child made her way to the edge of the floor and hopped down onto the dew covered grass. She smiled as the sticky goop was washed off of her feet by the cold dew. Walking out into the moonlit meadow felt like a walk through a cool stream, relaxing and calming.

She looked back behind her to see what the house she was in looked like. But all she saw was teeth. She looked above the teeth and saw glowing red eyes smiling at her.

"KYA!" The little girl screamed, but she couldn't even hear herself over the monster's roar as it lunged towards her with two open mouths.

*ROAR* *ROAR* *RO..EP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

Nanao sat up straight and quickly reached over and turned off her alarm clock. 6:00 am. She stared down at her wrist and the crystal bracelet wrapped around it. Nanao rested her head in her hands as she took several deep breaths. She hadn't had a dream like that in a while. She could almost forget her past, but some things couldn't be forgotten so easily.

Nanao sat on the edge of her bed and stretched as she reached for the glasses on her bedside table. Placing the glasses on her face, she laid her bracelet down where her glasses had been. Then got up and dressed quickly before gathering her large book and heading for the office.

She opened her door and swung her book out mechanically. "Good morning Taichou." She stepped over her Taichou and continued walking through the 8th squad barracks towards the offices. This wasn't the first time her Taichou had been waiting outside her door for her. And it wasn't like he was trying to do it secretly either. He didn't even bother to try and hide his reiatsu signature.

Shunsui rubbed the front of his nose as he got up off of the floor. He wasn't an early person, any day. Except today, Nanao had been acting strange for the past week since Aizen had deserted Seireitei. He was worried about her. "Good morning my lovely Nanao-chan." He followed after her with a grin on his face.

"Are you coming in to work with me this morning? It's quite early for you to be up." Nanao knew he was up to something, he was never up before noon. But what was he up to? Nanao held herself back from looking at him out of the corner of her eyes as he caught up to her. 'Taichou, what are you planning?'

Shunsui knew she was suspicious of his actions, she was very smart. "It's not that early. And of course I would join my beautiful Nanao-chan at work. Where else would I be heading if not to be with the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen?" He tried to place a hand on her shoulder to slow her down to walk with him, but Nanao was having none of that.

Nanao gripped her fan tightly as she whacked Kyoraku's hand away from her shoulder. "Please refrain from saying such inappropriate things, Kyoraku-Taichou." Nanao fixed her glasses and continued walking briskly. This was going to be a long day.

"But they are true." Nanao sighed as she walked into their joint office. She gave him an annoyed look as he followed her into the office. "Your glasses have a spot on them." Shunsui reached for her glasses, hoping to get a better look at her uniquely coloured eyes.

Nanao panicked, she couldn't take off her glasses. Not here. "NO!" She swatted Shunsui's hand then punched him in the chest, hard. She sent him back at least three feet. She looked at Shunsui with worry. "Sorry, Taichou. I...I don't know what came over me." She couldn't look at him. 'Great job there. Now he will really know something is up. Baka! Looks like I'll be wearing the bracelet to work from now on.'

Shunsui fixed his uniform. He had never gotten a reaction like that before, but he had never tried to take off her glasses before. "It's okay Nanao-chan. No harm done." He walked past her and laid down on the couch in the office. It was definitely too early to do anything but sleep. "Wake me up in a few hours? You can do it with a kiss if you like."

Nanao rolled her eyes and sat down at her desk. "Please don't say such things in the office, Taichou. And if you don't plan on doing work, then sleep in your own room instead of the office." She began on the day's paperwork as she listened to the light snoring of her Taichou.

* * *

She had finished most of the paperwork by noon and was well into the second half of the paperwork by the time Shunsui woke up. Which was at around 2:20.

"Good morning Nanao-chan." Shunsui yawned as he stretched out on the couch. He was well caught up on the sleep he had skipped out on while waking up to walk with Nanao.

"It's afternoon, Taichou." Nanao fixed her glasses as she held back a glare. "I have some papers for you to sign." Nanao got up from her desk with the short stack of papers in hand.

"Can't you sign them for me?" Shunsui hated paperwork, with a passion, but knew it had to be done.

"No. Taichou forms now go through a reiatsu test. You need to fill it out and sign it." Nanao placed the papers on his desk. "Now finish them so that I can leave early tonight." Nanao walked back to her desk and squared away the paperwork she had finished. 'Then maybe I can actually get to that book. Or take a bath, a nice hot and relaxing bath.' Nanao smiled at the plans that she was formulating in her mind.

Shunsui caught sight of Nanao smilig to herself. "Do you have something special planned for tonight?" He was curious as to why Nanao wanted to leave early tonight. He could grant her that any time she wished, but she always insisted on staying until the work was done. 'Does she have a date?'

Nanao shook her head. "I just want to relax and know that the work is done, for once."

"Okay. Will you join me for dinner then?" Shunsui walked to his desk and began filling out the paperwork.

"Sadly you have a meeting to go to. It starts in ten minutes by the way." Nanao looked towards the clock on the wall and smiled. She could avoid him for the rest of the day. 'And hopefully not till noon tomorrow.'

"Shall I walk with you to hand them in?" Nanao's hopes dropped, of course he would be like that. Shunsui smiled at Nanao as he held the small stack of papers he had just finished in his hand. "Nanao-chan shouldn't have to carry all of the paperwork."

"Just most of it." Nanao picked up the pile that was on her desk and began walking to 1st squad barracks. She ignored the man behind her. She finally spoke to him once they reached 1st squad. "You should get to your meeting. I'll take care of the paperwork." She held out her hand for Kyoraku to pass her his stack of finished paperwork.

"Nonsense Nanao-chan. The meeting can wait a few more minutes." Shunsui smiled at his Fukutaichou while taking her fan to his nose.

'He could have dodged that.' Nanao sighed as she swiped the papers from his hand. "There will be none of that, Kyoraku-Taichou. Now get to your meeting." Nanao pointed down the hall towards the meeting room. 'I feel like I am scolding a child.'

"You're so cold Nanao-chan. Will you wait for my meeting to be done? Then I can walk you home." Shunsui was hoping to find out why Nanao was so tense this past week. It had him worried, worried enough to miss sleep for crying out loud. "Please my lovely beautiful Nanao-chan."

"That would be very inappropriate, Kyoraku-Taichou." Nanao turned away from the pink clad man. "But we will see." She continued down the hall to the paper office to hand in the finished work as she ignored the happy and childish sounds coming from the man that was behind her. She sighed as the sound faded away. 'Why can't he act his age? He's probably older than me for crying out loud!'

Nanao walked briskly to the paperwork office. She lifted her pile of paperwork onto the counter top. "This is 8th squad's paperwork for today. And yesterday. And Taichou paperwork for last week."

The man behind the counter began sorting through the paperwork. "Finally got Kyoraku-Taichou to do some of his work?" He continued sorting out the tall stack of papers. "We are still missing your budget form for last week and this week."

"I guessed that. Taichou has been hiding them from me so I won't cut down the amount of sake he orders. But then he forgets to finish them and hand them in." Nanao leaned on the counter with a sigh. "If you give me a new form I can quickly fill them out for you."

The shinigami reached under the counter and pulled out three sheets of paper. "One for last week. One for this week. And another so you can hand in next weeks on time."

Nanao took the three sheets eagerly. "Thank you very much. Do you think I could photocopy one of these so I have a supply incase my Taichou continues to do this?" Nanao smiled as the paperwork man gave her a nod. "Thank you very much."

Nanao filled out the budget sheet as the shinigami finished sorting out the stack of paperwork. She finished both sheets as he finished sorting. "I will sort those if you can fill out the release forms please." He took the two finished budget sheets from the Fukutaichou as he passed her three more sheets of paperwork.

Nanao smiled as she filed out the papers. "There is paperwork with everything, ne?" She handed them back after she filled them out. She dropped the smile once he thanked her and turned away. She hated how everything had to have a form with it. 'Stupid damn paperwork.'

She looked at the clock on the wall. She had three hours till the meeting that Shunsui was in would probably be done. "That's quite a bit of time to do nothing in." She sighed as she walked to the porch. She could wait while looking at the garden, 1st squad always had a garden in bloom. 'Why am I even waiting for him in the first place?' She sat down and took a deep breath as a breeze blew through the courtyard. Bringing a mouth watering scent to her. 'It does give me a chance to indulge a bit.'

"I never thought I would see you wait for your Taichou to finish with a meeting, Ise-Fukutaichou." Nanao turned to see Sasakibe-Fukutaichou walking towards her. "Will you join me for some tea while you wait?" Sasakibe stood and waited for his fellow Fukutaichou to join him.

"Thank you for the offer. I would very much like to join you." Nanao smiled at him as she followed him to one of the various tea rooms situated around the main garden. "I'm surprised you aren't with Yamamoto-Soutaichou in the meeting." She tried to hold her breath as much as possible, she didn't want her stomach to start growling.

"I am not required at this meeting." He escorted Nanao inside and went about making tea as Nanao slid the shoji doors open and allowed the gentle breeze into the room. It was a beautiful day, one that Shunsui would definitely prefer to spend outdoors. "Why are you waiting for your Taichou? Has he done something to stir your anger?"

"No, nothing like that. Just wanted to spend a bit of time here." Nanao sat patiently as Sasakibe made the tea. He was making tea in an English tea pot. He preferred English teas to traditional green tea. They sat in a comfortable silence as the tea steeped.

Nanao looked out over the garden. Various flowers were in bloom and loose petals floated on the gentle breeze. She could picture Shunsui laying under the trees. His sakkat covering his face, his pink kimono layed out flat, and a soft, lazy smile on his lips. She smiled at the picture in her mind.

"Something amusing, Ise-Fukutaichou?" Nanao hadn't payed much attention to the man sitting beside her and the tray of tea between them. Sasakibe could easily guess what she was day dreaming about. The slight blush that was dusting her cheeks gave that away.

"No. Just thinking of how beautiful the day was. Thank you." She accepted the cup of tea he offered her. It was Earl Grey, one of her favourites.

They sat and enjoyed the tea as the petals continued to dance in the breeze. The sun began to set once they had finished the pot of tea. Neither had said much, they were content with watching the garden.

Nanao set down her empty cup and stood up. "Thank you for the tea and company, Sasakibe-Fukutaichou." She bowed to him and waited for his reply.

"It was my pleasure. Thank you for indulging me, Ise-Fukutaichou." Nanao straightened once he gave his reply and walked towards the gate of the division.

Nanao could sense someone walking up behind her. So she moved over to the side to let them pass, but they didn't. She looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened. "W..what are you doing here...Aizen?"

Aizen gave the startled girl a gentle smile. "Is there a problem if I come and check on people? And don't worry about me. No one but you can see me." He reached up and tilted Nanao's glasses. "They were a bit crocked."

"Thank you." Nanao gripped her fan tightly in her hand. "What are you doing here?"

Aizen gave a soft chuckle at the girl's answer. "Don't worry. My plan is moving along as planned. And I would like you to join me." He continued to smile as Nanao took a step back in hesitation. "Remember what you said? You said that you would do anything for me. That was the price for my help."

Nanao looked at her feet and took several deep breaths. "Are we leaving now?"

"No." Nanao looked at Aizen in surprise. "But I will be back to collect you soon. I just thought that you would like some time to prepare." He brought a hand up and glided the back of his hand down Nanao's cheek. "Take care of yourself till then." Aizen walked past Nanao and towards the exit to 1st division.

Nanao stood still as she watched Aizen walk away and out of sight. Her gaze then moved to everything around her. The buildings that had grown so familiar and the people that she had gotten used to. It was all about to change.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She began charging up a kido, but stopped once she recognized the reiatsu that was coming towards her.

Shunsui let out some of his reiatsu when he noticed a harsh glow coming from Nanao's hand. He noticed her relax a bit, but she was still tense. He slowly walked up and stopped once he was standing beside Nanao. "Are you alright Nanao-chan? You seem very tense. Did something happen?"

Nanao shook her head as she began to walk away. "Just stressed out. There is still a lot of paperwork that needs to get done before next week." She continued walking away. She frowned a bit, she had thought that Kyoraku would be following her. "Goodnight Kyoraku-Taichou." She waved before she turned the corner and began making her way towards her barrack.

After several minutes of walking, Nanao sighed loudly as she stopped walking. "If you are going to follow me home, Taichou, then you should hide your presence better." Nanao turned and glared at the last corner she passed. She sighed again as her Taichou refused to step out from his hiding place. Nanao turned and put her hands on her hips. "It's such a lovely night." She began speaking in a loud voice. "If only I had someone to share it with."

"Why didn't my lovely Nanao-chan say so sooner?" Shunsui smiled as he stepped up beside Nanao and went to put his arm around her waist. He pulled it back quickly when she produced her fan from her sleeve. "Why would my Nanao-chan want to hurt her wonderful Shunsui?"

Nanao sighed loudly as she began to walk again. "I wouldn't have to if you stopped acting so inappropriately, Taichou." A small smile crept onto her face as Kyoraku caught up with her again.

They walked in a comfortable silence back to 8th squad and to the barracks. Nanao turned towards her Taichou and gave him a short bow. "Thank you for walking with me Kyoraku-Taichou."

Shunsui smiled back at Nanao. "It is a gentleman's duty to escort a beautiful woman home. And it is always a pleasure to spend time with my wonderful Nanao-chan." He scooped up Nanao's hand and gave it a quick kiss.

Nanao pulled her hand back and reached behind her for the handle on her door. She knew she was blushing. "Have a good evening Taichou." She quickly slipped into her barrack and closed the door behind her. She locked it and took several deep breaths. 'Damn it. Why does he have to smell so good all the time? And now my hand smells like him. That's going to drive me nuts all night.'

Nanao let out a small groan as she kicked off her sandals and walked over to her counter. She picked up the small crystal bracelet and clipped it onto her wrist. "Now I can relieve my scalp of this torture." Nanao reached up and unclipped her hair, letting it fall down onto her shoulders. "It's getting long. I'm going to have to cut it soon."

Nanao walked into the kitchen and began making herself a cup of tea. "I think it will be 'Citrus Lavender Sage' tonight. I need to relax." Nanao let her tea steep as she went into her bathroom to make herself a bath.

* * *

~a few hours later~

Nanao sat on her couch with a book in her lap and a cup of tea on the table beside her glasses. She reached over to grab her cup, but missed and pushed it off the table. It smashed onto the floor. "Damn it." Nanao set her book down and got up to clean the mess that was now on her hardwood floor.

*Growl*

Nanao clutched her stomach as an intense pain shot through her body. She bit her lips as the pain rolled through her abdomen once more before subsiding a bit. "Damn it all." Nanao picked herself up and staggered towards her kitchen. "This is what happens when you let yourself get hungry and smell delicious things."

Nanao opened her fridge and pulled out a bowl. She closed the door and sat the bowl down on the counter as she pulled a spoon out of the drawer. She pulled the wrapping off of the bowl and revealed the bright green jello that was in it. "Thank you for this food."

It took Nanao not even 2 minutes to finish off the bowl of jello. A small gurgle sounded from her stomach. Nanao sighed as she turned back towards the fridge. "I freakin' hate this. Stupid hunger." Nanao pulled another bowl out from the fridge and began eating it as she walked into her bedroom. Turning out the lights as she went.

She sat on her bed as she ate her green jello. "This stuff could at least come in different colours. And maybe other flavours too." She set the empty bowl down and sighed as she laid back onto her pillow.

She looked around the dim room that was lit only by her bedside lamp. The glass off of photos glowed in the light and hid the photos they contained. But Nanao knew each of them by heart. "Too bad I can't take any of them with me. But I'm sure they will be appreciated here."

Nanao smiled as she turned off her lamp and closed her eyes. This was one thing she always enjoyed about her nights. Letting her body relax and regain energy while her mind went through memories. Sometimes she really liked having a perfect memory.

* * *

Please leave a comment.


	2. Anything But Ordinary

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

A small girl stood tall among the flat sand around her. Pale white compared to the endless sky above it, but just as endless. The girl looked around her. The desert stretched on for miles all around her. She looked up at the only source of light, a crescent moon.

*BOOM*

The girl looked behind her as a large dark pillar like thing approached her. But it didn't get to her. It faded as it drew near her and fell over. It's head feel at the girls feet.

A smile forms on the girl's face as she reached for the dark mass in front of her. She grabs some of it in her hand and brings it to her face. She smells it and her mouth waters at the smell. The little girl doesn't hesitate to take a large bite of the dark substance. She continues eating the shadow mass till it is gone. The girl smiles and sighs in satisfaction.

The wind picks up her waist length hair and wraps it around the girl. The girl smells the air and her mouth waters again. But this time the scent is much sweeter. She turns and finds that she is no longer in the desert, but she is in a forest. And a skinnier shadow is in front of her, and it smells sweet and delicious.

The girl brings her hand up into a fist. She doesn't know why she is being violent, but the pain in her stomach tells her that she needs food. And this shadow is food. She lunges at the shadow while yelling at it.

The shadow takes a step back and trips over a tree root. "No!" It shouts as the girl lands on top of it.

* * *

Nanao sat up as her alarm wakes her from her dream. *Growl* She clutches her stomach as it complains about a lack of food again. "For crying out loud." Nanao reached over to her bedside table and pulled open the drawer. She reaches in and pulls out a small green candy and pops it into her mouth. She bit down on it with a loud CRUNCH.

Nanao crawled out of bed and walks into her living room for her glasses. "I have got to find a better way to satisfy my hunger." She slipped on her glasses as she walked into her kitchen and begins her morning routine with a cup of tea.

* * *

Nanao walked into her office cautiously. Fully expecting all of the day's paperwork and yesterday's on her desk waiting for her. But as she opened the door and looked at her desk, she was taken by surprise. Her desk had only a small amount of paperwork, compared to what she normally had to deal with. "What the hell?" Nanao walked over to her desk and peered down curiously. She frowned more as she saw writing on the paperwork. She easily recognized it as Kyoraku-Taichou's, but when did he ever do her paperwork?

"Good morning Ise-Fukutaichou." Nanao looked at the door. One of the secretaries for 8th squad was smiling at her through the open office door.

"Good morning. Would you happen to know what time Kyoraku-Taichou went home last night?" Nanao was a bit worried. Her Taichou never stayed in the office past 5. And he never went into the office till around noon or later. Him being in the office out of those hours were not normal.

The secretary tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure. I went home at around 6:30 and there was still a light in Taichou's office. So I guess he went home sometime after that."

Nanao was even more shocked. This was not Kyoraku's regular behaviour. "Thank you very much."

Nanao closed the door and looked around the office once more. It was clean with no sake bottles on the floor and no Taichou lounging on the couch. Not a normal sight.

Sitting down on the couch, Nanao relaxed as she reached out and searched for Kyoraku's reiatsu. It was stable and not moving. And as she examined it and his surroundings more, she sighed as she realized he was at his house. And most likely passed out from exhaustion or too much sake, as usual.

"Of all the days you decide not to be yourself." Nanao stood up and collected all of the finished paperwork to take to 1st squad.

* * *

"Nanao-san!" Nanao turned a bit to see who was calling to her. She pretty much knew who it was, but she just wanted to make sure. "Wow!" Matsumoto relieved her friend of half of her stack of paperwork, it was above her head. "How early did you get up to do this? I am almost convinced that you never sleep."

Nanao smiled at her friend and laughed with her at her comment. "Like I could accomplish this without sleep. Besides, I didn't write up a piece of this paperwork. Kyoraku-Taichou finished these all last night. I walked into the office this morning to find this all done." Nanao nearly laughed at her friend' shocked face as she set her pile of paperwork down on the filing counter.

"What squads are these piles for?" The shinigami behind the counter wasn't looking forward to deciding up the paperwork stacks in front of him. The office wasn't even open for accept paperwork for that day.

"Both stacks are for 8th squad." Nanao accepted the sheets of paperwork that were handed to her and began working on them. "Did you see Kyoraku-Taichou at all last night? Wasn't last night a usual drinking night?"

"Every night is a drinking night." Matsumoto winked at her friend while she leaned on the counter. "But Kyoraku-Taichou wasn't there. Did you threaten him with a kido or something? I didn't even know that he did paperwork on his own."

"He usually doesn't. And I did not threaten him with a kido. I even left before him." Nanao set down the pen and waited for the shinigami to finish filing all of the papers away. "I had even gotten him to do a bit of his paperwork yesterday."

"Maybe it's an imposter." Matsumoto couldn't think of another alternative.

Nanao shook her head at her friend's idea. "I don't think so. I know his hand writing and reiatsu signature. This is all done by Kyoraku-Taichou himself. I even followed the trail to where he was, his house. And only his reiatsu reacts to mine the way it does." Nanao had several ways to tell if someone was an imposter.

Matsumoto smiled mischievously. "That sounds so...intimate." Matsumoto ran a hand over Nanao's arm as she spoke the last word. She laughed as Nanao backed away from her.

"Rangiku-san! It's nothing like that!" Nanao yelled at her friend as she suppressed the blush that was trying to creep onto her cheeks.

"The paperwork is sorted. You're free to go." Nanao had almost forgotten where they were at. She gave the shinigami a bow before she started walking towards the exit of the compound.

"It's just been a weird day so far." Nanao messages the headache that was starting to form. *growl* Nanao sighed loudly.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Rangiku looked at her friend with worry. She didn't look too good. "It's not healthy to go without eating."

"I know. But I did what I normally do in the morning." Nanao reached into her pocket to see if she had brought a candy with her, she hadn't.

Rangiku looped her arm around Nanao's. "Then let's go get breakfast! Then we will go grocery shopping so you can have food in your house." Rangiku steered them towards the restaurant district in Seireitei. "What do you say?"

Nanao gave her friend a smile. "Well, since we are already heading that way, sure. It sounds great."

* * *

Nanao looked around at the crowd that was in the little cafe they were in. She noticed there were quite a few people around. *growl* Nanao clutched her stomach again for the tenth time. She really wished her friend had chosen a less popular place.

Rangiku couldn't help but worry about her friend. "Wow. It sounds like you haven't eaten in weeks."

Nanao laughed awkwardly with her friend. "It just smells so delicious in here."

"Your right, but I'm not smelling it that much. You must have a super nose." Rangiku could feel her stomach growl whenever she got a whiff of what was being cooked.

"How else would I track down Kyoraku-Taichou?" Nanao smiled as she caught sight of their waiter bringing them their food.

"I think Histugaya-Taichou has the same ability." Rangiku laughed with her friend as their waiter set their food down in front of them.

* * *

Nanao walked into the office with a smile on her face. Her morning was slowly getting better. She slid the door closed and smirked at the figure lounging on the couch. "Thank you for doing the paperwork, Kyoraku-Taichou."

A smile grew on Shunsui's face as he tipped his hat up. "Anything to make my Nanao-chan's life easier."

"Funny how this is only happening now." Nanao raised an eyebrow at his statement. She waited for a response, but Kyoraku just dropped his sakkat back over his face and said nothing. She gave a sigh as she walked towards her desk.

"You came in late today. Is everything alright?" Shunsui could see her through the small gaps in his hat as she began on today's paperwork. She looked tired.

Nanao didn't bother looking towards him as she replied. "I went and had breakfast with Rangiku-san."

"And my lovely Nanao-chan didn't invite me." Shunsui was making plans in his head to talk to Matsumoto. He wanted to know how Nanao was doing. And she seemed to be spending more time with the busty Fukutaichou than at the office.

"You were fast asleep, Taichou. You apparently had a late night last night." Nanao looked over the form she had just filled out. They were all starting to look the same. "And it wouldn't have been so late if you had finished them during the day." Nanao eyed him as she waited for him to make a comment, but something else beat him.

*growl* Nanao clutched her stomach as it complained about the food it wanted.

Shunsui chuckled as Nanao looked away from him with pink starting to stain her cheeks. "Did you run back after breakfast?"

"Mind your own business, Taichou." Nanao really didn't want to talk about her eating habits.

"Calm down my lovely Nanao-chan." Shunsui sat up from his napping spot. "Do you want to go get brunch?"

"I just started working. I can get myself food after I have finished today's paperwork at least. Or when lunch comes around." Nanao continued working as her stomach continued to bother her, but didn't make a sound.

"Then how about I go get you food." Shunsui was standing in front of Nanao's desk and looking down at her. She seemed to be trying to ignore him. "Shall I bring you back one omelette or two?"

Nanao was going to tell him she didn't need anything, but her body replied for her. *grumble* Nanao tilted her head further down, she did not want Kyoraku to see the embarrassment on her face. "Maybe two. If that isn't a problem for you." *GRUMBLE*

Shunsui gave another chuckle. "I'll get you an extra one just in case." Shunsui gave Nanao another smile as he walked out of the office.

Nanao sighed heavily once the door to the office closed again. "I wish I could just eat what would satisfy my hunger properly." Nanao opened one of the drawers in her office and pulled out a small white cake looking thing and took a bite out of it. "Or that normal food actual sufficed for longer."

* * *

Nanao picked her head up from her desk. 'When did I fall asleep?' She looked around the room, it wasn't her office. 'Where am I?' She looked around at the shelves of books around her.

Nanao stood and walked around the desk she had woken up on. "What is going on?" Nanao massaged the headache that she was starting to get. She was startled when she didn't find her glasses on her face. "Where did my glasses go?!" Nanao looked around frantically for her glasses.

"You look beautiful without them." Nanao turned to see a man enter the room. She couldn't sense him, or see his face. It was blurry for some reason. "You will always look beautiful.

The man approached her and tucked her hair out of her face. Nanao didn't know what was happening, but she couldn't help but smile at the gesture of affection. She closed her eyes as the man leaned down and placed his lips on hers. Her arms snaked around the man's neck as they kissed.

The man breaks their kiss and plants a kiss on Nanao's neck. Nanao takes a deep breath, her mouth waters at the smell that surrounds her. Nanao moves her arm and doesn't hesitate to bite into his neck. 'Yes.' The man stills at Nanao's action.

Nanao pulls away when she needs air. She looks back at the man's face, it is Aizen's face. "How was that?"

* * *

"Ah!" Nanao sat up and gripped the couch that she had been placed on. She took several deep breaths as she checked for her glasses, they were still on her face. She checked her wrist, her bracelet was there too.

"Nanao-chan? Are you alright?" Shunsui had been by her side the moment she had screamed. He had never seen her fall asleep in the office. 'She must be stressed out.'

Nanao pushed the pink cover that was on her legs off and placed her feet on the ground. "I'm fine Taichou. Just a bad dream."

Shunsui frowned even more. 'What was that dream about?' He stood and walked towards the tea cabinet in their office. "Would you like a cup of tea to calm down with?"

Nanao shook her head as she fixed her hair. "No thank you, Taichou. I'm just going to get a bit of fresh air." Nanao fixed her uniform as she stood and headed for the office door.

Nanao sighed after several steps out of the office. "You don't have to follow me." Nanao picked up her pace as she headed for the squad gardens.

Shunsui picked up his pace so he was walking beside Nanao. "But it is a gentleman's job to escort ladies around at night." Shunsui smiled as Nanao smirked at his response.

They continued walking in silence for several minutes. The night was warm and cloudless.

"Out for a stroll?" Nanao stopped in her tracks. She knew that voice all too well. She looked behind her with a neutral look. She was expecting this visit.

Shunsui stepped between Nanao and the man standing before him. "What a surprise, Aizen. Come to surrender?" He had his hand on his zanpakutou, ready if the traitor made any moves.

Nanao stood still, she wasn't afraid of him. Aizen gave the Taichou a non-threatening, cold smile. "No. I have come to collect the favour I was promised." Nanao took a step towards Aizen. She easily avoided Shunsui's arms as he tried to pull her behind him. She took the outstretched hand that was offered her by the man dressed in white. Aizen slid the green crystal bracelet off of Nanao's wrist and dropped it. "Now then, let's take those off. Shall we, Wing?" Nanao closed her eyes as Aizen removed her glasses.

Nanao had made sure to always have either her glasses or her bracelet on at all times. Otherwise everyone would know what she truly was. She was not a human soul, she was a Hollow. She was a Vasto Lord, Colourless Wing.

Shunsui stood stunned, his mind was blank. Nanao had stood before him with her hand in Aizen's. Now a Hollow with four folded, white wings stood in her place. He could still feel traces of what was Nanao's reiatsu, but it was almost completely like a Hollow's. It was a void, but deadly.

"Farewell, Kyoraku-Taichou. Thank you for taking such good care of Wing for me." Aizen led Wing into a black rift that opened up behind him.

"You're not leaving with her!" Shunsui ran at the rift with his zanpakutou drawn.

Wing turned and pointed a single finger at the shinigami running towards them. A purple ball formed at the end of her finger. 'Goodbye.' The purple cero reached the size of a fist before it shot off towards the man. It exploded as the rift closed shut.

"I see you still have perfect control, Wing." Aizen continued walking towards the other side of the rift. "How has your day been?"

"Horrible." Wing pushed the visor up on her mask so she could see better. "My hunger has caught up with me."

"Well, fret not. You can go hunting as soon as you're settled in." Aizen led the way out of the hazy world they had traveled through.

Wing smiled under her mask. "Thank you, Aizen-sama."

* * *

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.


	3. First Day Back

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Aizen dropped Wing's hand once he had reached the centre of the large meeting hall. "My lovely Espadas. Come and greet your new comrade. I will be back shortly." Aizen walked out of the room and towards his own quarters.

Wing looked around her. High white walls lined the spacious hall. She could see figures sitting in groups around the edge of the room. Only a few of the figures had a human like shape to them. Most others look like beasts of some sort.

"Who are you?" Wing looked towards a woman that had spoken. She only had her bottom jaw covered by her mask. The rest resembled a human face, like how her body resembled a human's.

"I am Colourless Wing. I am Aizen-sama's Vasto Lord." Wing looked at the woman head on. She was strong, but not as strong as herself.

"If you are one of Aizen-sama's Vasto Lords, then where have you been all this time?" Wing looked towards the Hollow that had spoken. It was a tiger.

"I have been gathering intel on the shinigami that oppose Aizen-sama." Wing wasn't worried about the cat and his group. None of them were even close to her level of power.

"And thanks to the intel that Wing has collected, I have no fear in taking my time." Aizen walked back into the meeting hall with Gin and Tousen beside him. "They do not stand a chance against us."

Wing bowed her head as Aizen turned to her. She saw Gin walk towards Aizen with a glowing ball in a glass box, the Hogyoku. Aizen took the box from Gin, then held it out for Wing to take. She tentatively took the box. "You shall be the first." Wing gasped and shut her eyes as the ball glowed brighter once Aizen let it have some of his reiatsu.

*CRACK*

Wing opened her eyes slowly once the light had faded. She looked down at herself. She had human legs, arms and hands. She couldn't feel her wings on her back, but she felt a sword by her feet. 'I must look more like a shinigami now than a Hollow. Other than this.' She caught sight of the hole in her wrist, her Hollow hole.

Aizen smiled at himself. 'This are moving as planned.' Aizen looked around at the stunned looks on the Hollows around him. "Wing is the strongest among you, she holds the rank of Cero Espada. And soon, all of you will hold the same for as her. The form of an Arrancar. And the strongest of you, will become a part of my Espadas." With that said, Aizen turned and left the room. His Hogyoku back in it's protective case and in his hand.

Wing continued to look at her transformed body. 'I look like Nanao.' Wing traced the '0' tattooed onto the side of her upper thigh. She smiled as she tickled her own skin.

She was distracted by a cloth falling onto her shoulders. She stood and looked behind her at the man that had dropped the white jack, it was definitely a jacket when she looked at it more closely. Starrk watched as the woman in front of him stared at him with a questioning look. "Women should be more modest with so many men around. Most of them are probably already having indecent thoughts about you." Starrk couldn't help but smirk as she blushed and wrapped his jacket around her tighter.

Wing looked around and saw that there were a couple of the Hollows around that were giving her hungry looks. *growl* Wing put a hand to her stomach as a pang of hunger reminded her of what was next on her agenda.

Starrk eyed the girl wearily. He could tell by her aura that she could probably kill most of the Hollows in the room. And if she was hungry, she could probably kill them all easily. "Follow me."

"Why?" Wing eyed the man, Aizen had called him Starrk. "Why should I follow you?" Wing bent down and picked up the sword that was lying at her feet. She could just feel that it was hers.

Because sighed at Wing's stubbornness. "Because I am going to show you where your room is. So that you can get dressed to go hunting."

"Thank you, Coyote-san." Wing followed the Arrancar with a small smile of appreciation.

"Wow, you're formal." Wing nearly jumped as a small child spoke up beside her. "What? Didn't know I was here?" The child had short green hair and a helmet for a Hollow mask. "Ha! See Starrk. I told you I was good at sneaking."

"Whatever. Don't mind her. Lilynette tends to be a show off a lot." Starrk continued walking while ignoring the child that was jumping around him and yelling at him.

Wing looked at the two curiously. 'Are they...partners?' She followed them quietly.

* * *

It took them a few minutes to reach Wing's room. Starrk into the room and held the door open for her. "There should be clothes in the closet over there." Starrk caught his jacket as the woman tossed it too him. "Not going to wait for me to leave?"

"You've already seen me naked. Everyone in that room has. Why should I be shy now?" Wing opened her closet and looked at all of the shelves. Each one had a neatly folded pile of the same thing. She grabbed a black folded piece. It unfolded to a pair of short shorts. The next, a black band that was tight and had wiring. 'A strapless bra? Okay.' Next a long white coat with black edging. And last, a thick black belt and knee high boots.

"It's a nice look on you." Starrk eyed the girl up and down, she looked breathtaking. "Too bad you can't let your hair down."

Wing touched the clip that was holding her hair up. But it wasn't really a clip. The two eye holes told her otherwise. "It's more manageable this way." Wing slid her sword through her belt as she turned to face Starrk. "Well then, I'm off to hunt"

"Would you like some company?" Starrk stepped aside as Wing walked towards the door of her room.

Wing walked through the door and continued down the hall. "You don't have to." She could feel the man close behind her as she walked.

Starrk easily kept pace with the Espada. "On the contrary, a woman shouldn't travel around on her own. They could get attacked."

Wing rolled her eyes. 'Why do I attract the gentlemen?' She looked over at Starrk as she chewed on her lip in thought. "Come if you want."

* * *

Wing took a deep breath as air rushed up from the large fissure in front of them. She could smell the Hollows down below. She took a step off the cliff and smiled as she fell towards the bottom of the cavern. She landed lightly on the ground below.

Wing could here Starrk making his way down the cliff. She rolled her eyes at how slow he was. 'Hollows that don't know how to fly.'

"You scared me a bit there. But I guess it is normal for you. Since you can fly and all." Starrk had thought the woman was completely crazy. But, he didn't know that many none crazy people.

"Just wanted to find food." Wing smiled as a Minos rounded a corner and began making its way towards them. "If you would please excuse me." Wing pushed herself off of the ledge she was on. Her fist collided with the Minos' mask, cracking it severely. She pulled off a large chunk of it as she leaped back towards the ledge.

Starrk sat down and leaned against the rock wall. "Is that going to be enough?"

Wing looked at the large chunk of Hollow mask she had in her hand. It was fairly large, about the size of three diner plates. Wing shrugged and as she sat down to enjoy her food. "I'll get more when I'm done."

Wing took a large bite and couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. It finally felt like she was eating something. She finished the rest of her chunk in a few bites. "It's been a while since I have eaten Hollow mask. I kind of missed the absence of taste."

Starrk couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. "You are a strange one. Most Hollows would want it to have more of a taste. Which is why they like humans and shinigami so much."

Wing shrugged as she stood up. She looked towards the Minos she had killed earlier. It was still lying on the ground. No other hollow was trying to devour it. 'Probanly don't want to be eaten by the two of us.'

*shing*

Wing stilled at the soft noise. She had almost missed it? Wing took a deep breath and smirked at the sweet and familiar scent she had picked up.

Wing quickly spun around and caught the blade that was in front of her face. "Hello, shinigami." Wing grabbed the shinigami by his neck with her free hand. "Now what would a delectable little treat like yourself, be doing in the land of Hollows?"

The shinigami said nothing from beneath his mask. He just continued to try and free his sword from the Hollow's grasp. He knew the woman was a Hollow, she felt like one. And he had watched her eat the mask from the Mino Grande. There was no doubt that she was a Hollow.

Wing frowned at the man she held in her grip. She pulled his sword from his grasp and threw it away. Next she reached up and pulled the mask off of the shinigami. She smiled as she saw a look of terror moved across his face. "Hey Starrk! You want any?"

Starrk opened his eye a bit. He could tell the shinigami was powerful in his own right. After all, he was living in the Minos Forest. "Nah. Not hungry."

Wing shrugged as she turned her gaze back to the shinigami. "Suit yourself." She ran a finger along the shinigami's jawline with a small giggle. "I might enjoy this too much."

* * *

Wing sighed loudly as she stretched out on her bed. She smiled at the full feeling she had. She couldn't remember the last time she felt like this.

"Are you just going to laze about now?" Starrk laid down on the couch and settled himself down for a nap.

"Well, yes. I just ate a large meal. So now I would like to enjoy the feeling of being full." Wing looked over towards the man that had invaded her room. "And what are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Starrk didn't bother to open his eyes as he responded. "I'm going to take a nap."

"Do that in your own room." Wing glared at Starrk.

"Can't. Lilynette won't let me sleep." Starrk hadn't had a decent nap for a few weeks now.

"Ah." Wing understood the need for personal time. And how annoying it was to have someone interrupt what where doing...all the time.

*knock knock knock*

Wing got up for. Her bed and walked towards the door. 'Who could this be?' Wing opened the door and was surprised at who she found. "Tousen-sama. What can I help you with?"

"Aizen-Taichou wishes to speak with you." Tousen spoke calmly to the woman. He still didn't not believe that this woman had once been Ise Nanao.

"I understand." Wing leaned back into her room. "Starrk. You better be gone when I get back." She left her door open and followed Tousen down the hallway.

* * *

Wing stepped into the large room and waited as the large double doors closed behind her. She looked out at the large crescent moon that was constantly shining over the desert of Hueco Mondo. 'Is that outside of Los Noches?'

"How did your hunting go, Wing?" Aizen sat on his throne as he looked over the bleak landscape that was before him. His Kingdom.

Wing approached the throne slowly. "It went well. I found enough food to satisfy myself with." Wing stopped once she could see Aizen sitting and sipping his wine.

Aizen smirked as he took another sip of his wine. "How did it feel to eat a shinigami again?" He could see a smile faintly spread across Wing's lips.

"I may have enjoyed torment the man too much." Wing could still hear his screams. They sounded like wind chimes to her.

Aizen chuckled at the thought of what she enjoyed doing. "Well, as you grow stronger, you won't have to hunt so often. And once you reach the power where you would have naturally become an Arrancar, your hunger will vanish all together."

Wing nodded at the information she had been given. "Then I will continue to grow stronger. Thank you for educating me." Wing gave him a bow as he stood up from his seat.

"It's my pleasure to educate my Espada." Aizen lifted Wing's face. "You look so much like your mother. You have her grace and beauty. And her deadliness."

Wing looked away from Aizen as heat rose to her cheeks. "Thank you, Aizen-sama."

Aizen smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Now run along, my little Wing. I'm sure you have much to do."

Wing bowed once more before she headed for the door. 'I have a lot of work to do. I need to get stronger. And eat a lot more.' She walked down the halls as she continued to think.

'Or I could just hunt down powerful souls and Hollows.' Wing's mind pulled up a picture of Shunsui asleep under a tree. His chest rising and falling. The vein in his neck pulsing. His smell filling her nostrils.

Wing quickly shook her head. 'Where did that come from?' Wing could feel her stomach churning. "I need to lie down." She quickened her pace down the hall. She did not want to feel empty again.

* * *

Please leave a comment.


	4. What Have I Done

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Wing walked into her room and sighed as she found someone still draped on her couch. "I thought I told you to leave before I got back." She glared as the man on her couch stayed completely still.

"It's quieter in here." Starrk had always been a light sleeper. But at least he could easily fall back asleep after being woken up.

"STARRK! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?" Wing spotted a small child stomping through the halls. She waved at the small girl, trying to get her attention. The green haired girl spotted the waving woman and gave her quizzical look.

Wing pointed down at her couch as the girl walked towards her room.

The girl rounded the corner of the couch and fixed the half asleep man with a glare. "Starrk! Get up you lazy ass!"

"Shut up Lilynette. Let me sleep." Starrk tried to tune out his partner as she tried to pull him off of the couch.

"So this is Lilynette." Wing examined the small child curiously. She could also see that the girl was not strong enough to pull Starrk off of the couch. And she did want to do it either. "I give up." Wing threw her hands in the air as she walked over to her bed and collapsed on it. "You can stay, but be quiet."

"Tell that to Lilynette." Starrk stretched a bit before making himself comfortable once more.

* * *

Wing opened her eyes as she heard the sound of rustling leaves. She looked around at the clearing she was in. Is was a clear, crisp night. And she is the only person she can see in the moonlight.

*shing*

Wing spun around at the harsh sound that disturbed the night. She found four figures dressed in black. And each of them had a sword drawn. But she couldn't see any of their faces.

'More people I have killed in the past.' Wing watched as they ran at her in slow motion.

Wing stepped in front of the closet person. She grabbed the hair that was blowing around with one hand as she walked by. Her other hand went to the person's shoulder. She gave a sharp tug, and she felt the head get ripped free from the body. 'One...'

She casually walked to the next figure. This one seemed to realize that she was there. She placed her hand flat against the person's face. Then brought it down to the ground. The head wasn't even distinguishable anymore. It was just a puddle with hair in it. 'Two...'

The third and fourth tried to get her between them, but they were going at different slow speeds. Wing got behind the slower of the two. As she passed the person, her hand reached out towards the figures waist. She hardened her skin before her hand made contact. Her hand sliced through cleanly, and the figure fell in two pieces. 'Three...'

Wing rounded on the final figure. This one seemed to be almost going at normal speed. She danced away from the person's blade and closer to their body. She stopped the moving blade with one hand as the other shot through the figure's chest and heart. 'Four...'

Wing tried to pull her hand free, but the figure grabbed her hand that was buried in it's chest. "Are you alright, Nanao-chan?"

Wing froze instantly. She watched as the moonlight filled the clearing with a bright light. She spotted pink on the shinigami in front of her. 'Oh god no.' Wing slowly looked up till she met a pair of dulling brown eyes. "Shun...sui?"

Wing pulled her hand from his chest and covered her mouth quickly. She felt like she was going to be sick.

"I'm glad I could help, Nanao-chan." Wing watched as Shunsui fell to the ground slowly. A smile on his face and blood dripping down his chin.

Wing slowly turned to see the other bodies that were in the clearing. The first that she spotted, was long strands of white hair with a puddle where the head should be. She then spotted the two pieces of another person, a woman that looked fairly similar to herself, but not quite. Then she spotted a head with strawberry blond hair.

Wing felt her knees weaken. She didn't bother catching herself as she fell. 'What have I done?'

A shadow blocked the moonlight that was lighting up the clearing. Wing looked up. A tall black creature with a white mask peered down at the clearing. The Minos gave out a roar as it took another step towards the clearing.

Wing noticed the Minos getting shorter. 'What?' She got up as the Minos roared again. She noticed it mask crack and shatter completely.

"You see." Wing turned and saw Aizen walking towards her with a smirk on his face. "You just needed to find the right food. And now, no one can stand in our way."

Wing took a step back. 'No! This isn't what I want!' She took another step, but nothing was beneath her foot. She fell.

Wing looked at the darkness around her. It was suffocating. There was no way to tell which way was up and if she was even falling. But one thing was certain, she felt lie, she was drowning. 'Air...need air...'

* * *

Wing sat up and began coughing the water out of her lungs. 'How did water get there?' She continued to cough as she looked around her. She found Starrk standing beside her with an empty glass in his hand. "What was that for?!" She growled at the man standing beside her bed.

"You lost control." Starrk pointed behind him. Lilynette was kneeling beside the couch, finally able to get oxygen into her lungs. "Even I was having a bit of trouble."

Wing looked away from the two as she got out of bed. She threw off her wet clothes and changed into dry ones. "Sorry." She spoke softly as she headed for her door.

She opened the door to her room and found a silver haired man smiling at her. "'S everythin' alright?" Gin looked at the Espada carefully. She seemed a bit frightened.

"Yes, Ichimaru-Taichou. Sorry for the trouble." Wing gave the man a nod as she walked passed him and continued down the hall.

"Don't worry. No one died. Just a bit o' trouble breathin'." Gin watched the Espada continue to walk away. She was definitely spooked by something.

* * *

~Soul Society~

Shunsui lounged on his couch with the room dark and warm. He brought the bottle he had in his hand up to his lips, but it was empty. He sighed as he dropped the bottle and tried to find another one. He had several scattered around him.

*knock knock knock*

"Go away." Shunsui found another bottle and took a drink form it. He couldn't even remember what bottle he was on.

Shunsui heard the door open and close, but he didn't bother looking to see who had walked in. He looked over when the intruder gave a loud cough. The white hair gave the man away immediately. "How long have you been drinking, Shunsui?" Jushiro looked around the room with a frown. He could hardly see the floor, but he could also see that most of the bottles hadn't even been opened yet.

"I don't know Jushiro." Shunsui took another drink from the bottle in his hand. "And quite frankly, I don't even care."

Jushiro have a sigh at his friend's attitude. He open a window and took a deep breath of fresh air. "You need to stop moping. It's only been a few weeks."

"A few weeks of hell." Shunsui took another drink as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. "And it is impossible for me to cheer up without my Nanao-chan."

"Look, I know your upset. But throwing a fit because Sensei won't let you go after Ise-san isn't going to change anything." Jushiro began picking up some of the empty bottles that were scattered around the room. He didn't need his friend breaking his neck while moping. He spotted a tall stack of paperwork behind Shunsui's desk as he cleaned. "Shunsui, Ise-san is going to skin you when she sees that you haven't done any paperwork."

"They are just stupid papers. They can't make me do anything." Shunsui dropped his now empty bottle and picked up a fresh one. He wasn't anywhere close to being drunk yet.

Jushiro sighed as he took a seat on the couch opposite to the one Shunsui was on. "Did you know?" He spotted a questioning look on his friend's face. "Did you know that Ise-san was a Hollow?"

"Of course I didn't." Shunsui was still trying to figure out how she got away with it all of these years. "Nanao-chan was eating more than usual. But I hardly ever see her eat anyway. And she was definitely not ogling ever soul that walked past her. And Rangiku-san didn't sense anything wrong either."

Jushiro nodded at his friend's observations. "I wonder how she hid it from everyone. Either she become a Hollow recently, which would explain the sudden increase in hunger. Or she has been a Hollow since she has come here, and has been starving herself of her main source of food for over a century."

"My Nanao-chan has been known to have great self-control." Shunsui didn't like the sound of either options. But the second one sounded more like something Nanao would do. "But why be here in the first place? Why hide among shinigami?"

"I don't know." Jushiro was still having trouble believing that his friend's Fukutaichou was a Hollow. She had even been labeled one of the weakest Fukutaichous. "How strong do you think she actually is?"

Shunsui scratched his cheek as he thought. "Probably on par with most Taichous. Most Ceros I can cut through with just my hand. But hers was much stronger than that. She fired off a small purple Cero, and it was far more powerful than one from a Minos Grande."

Jushiro nodded slowly as he tried to think of how powerful she might actually be. "Well, at least we know she isn't an enemy."

Shunsui looked at his friend curiously. "How did you come to that conclusion? Everyone else is already convince she will help Aizen to kill us all."

"It's fairly simple actually." Jushiro smiled at his friend. "Ise-san has been around us for centuries. She has been on many missions with a lot of powerful shinigami. Most of which would have given their lives to protect her.

"She had many opportunities to kill and eat those shinigami, but she didn't. We both know she is smart enough to kill someone, then blame it on another Hollow. But she never did that. In fact, she has repeatedly risked her life to save other shinigami." Jushiro saw his friend realize where his thoughts were going. "Ise Nanao was one of us. She was our friend and comrade."

Shunsui gave his friend a smile. "Thank you, Jushiro."

"You're welcome. Now, how about some lunch." Jushiro had succeeded in getting his friend out of his downward spiral. Now he had to get him out of his office so his squad could clean it and remove all of the sake from it. "We both know what had things happen when you have sake without food."

Shunsui chuckled at the memories he had from those times. "But they were so much fun. And I don't think I can walk at the moment." He seriously didn't think he could walk. It took more sake to impair his mind than it did his mobility.

Jushiro laughed at his friend a bit. "Then how about a game of Koikoi while I send my 3rd seat for food?"

Shunsui gave Jushiro a large smile as he sat up from his slouch. "You are the greatest friend I could have ever asked for."

"It helps that I've known you for centuries." Jushiro walked towards the door of the office while his friend searched for his game. 'This is going to be a long day.'

* * *

Let me know what you thought of the chapter.


	5. Pieces of Me

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Shunsui was only half paying attention to the meeting he was in. The only reason he was half listening was because of the topic of the report, an Arrancar attack in the human world.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, please give a description of the Arrancars." Yamamoto kept all emotion from his face. But he was worried. Arrancar usually didn't work together like this. It just wasn't in their nature to form groups.

"Yes, Soutaichou." Hitsugaya could only see the Soutichou on his screen, but he also knew the other Taichous were also listening in. And he knew of one that would be relieved at the information he was about to give. "There were four members of the group. A large man with a jaw bone covering his jaw, the blue haired man from the first attack, a child with blond hair, and a short man with black hair. All Arrancar survived and returned to Hueco Mondo."

Yamamoto could here someone breath out a sigh of relief. He nodded towards the white haired Taichou on the monitor. "Thank you, Hitsugaya-Taichou. Bring Kurosaki Ichigo, I wish to speak with him."

"Hai, Soutaichou." Hitsugaya gave a small bow before disconnecting the call to get Ichigo.

Yamamoto turned and looked at all of the Taichous that were still in the room. "Kuchiki-Taichou and Kenpachi-Taichou stay. The rest of you are dismissed.

Shunsui went with the group of dismissed Taichous with a sulk in his shoulders and a small smile on his face.

"You should cheer up a bit." Shunsui looked beside him to see who had spoken. Jushiro gave his friend a smile. "Ise-san wasn't part of the attack group."

"But we don't know if she is alright." Shunsui tilted his head down. He liked how there was no news about his Nanao-chan, but it also worried him.

"Don't worry so much. Ise-san hid that she was a hollow from the entire Gotei 13 for over a century. I think she can handle herself among a bunch of Hollows." Jushiro could see a smile form on his friend's face.

"I hope your right." Shunsui knew Nanao was fine, he could just feel it.

"Ukitake-Taichou!" Shunsui and Jushiro stopped and looked ahead of them. Two people were running at them. "There is something strange at 13th squad." Both men shunpoed passed Ukitake's two 3rd seated officers and headed for 13th squad compound. But nothing seemed to be wrong when they got there.

"Wait, Taichou!" Both me. Turned as the two 3 rd seats caught up to the,. They seemed a bit out of breath. "It's *gasp* in your *gasp* office." Kiyone pointed towards the office as she tried to get air back into her lungs.

"We asked everyone if they knew who left it, but no one knows." Sentaro hadn't run as fast as Kiyone, so he wasn't out of breath.

Jushiro and Shunsui slowly made their way to the Taichou's office. They slid the door open, prepared for anything. But they were not expecting what they found. "Are you both talking about this box?" Ukitake looked at his 3rd seated officers, them back at the box. He slowly walked over to it, he couldn't sense anything from it. He examined the box and frowned at the label. "Shunsui, I think this is for you."

"Why would you say that?" Shunsui joined his friend and read the label on the box. There written in a familiar curly script, was his name. "It seems to be from my lovely Nanao-chan."

"And from over a century ago." Jushiro was very puzzled by the address label. The date on it was well over a century ago. "I wonder what it is."

Shunsui found a letter opener on his friend's desk and turned back to him with a smile. "Shall we find out?" Shunsui tried to cut through the tape holding the lid closed, but it didn't seem to want to be cut. "Well that's strange."

Ukitake frowned at the box. Then noticed his two subordinates looking nervous in the doorway. "Sentaro, Kiyone, thank you for informing us of this. You may leave." He frowned as they both bowed and left quickly. "I wonder what got them all jittery."

"It might be the faint Hollow reiatsu that is coming off of this box." Shunsui was kneeling down by the box and examining it more. It didn't seem to be a normal box. "I think this might actually be a kido."

"What makes you say that?" Jushiro stood behind his friend and looked at what he was pointing at. "Ah. A stabilizing square. Yep that would definitely point to being kido protected. So how do we open it?"

"Well, most kidos like this have a key that will unlock it." Shunsui slowly stood and picked up the heavy box. "And since this is addressed to me," Shunsui put the box down on his friend's desk. "I'm guessing something that I have on me is the key. My Nanao-chan is very smart like that." Shunsui pulled one of his hairpins out. "Let's try this." Shunsui poked the box, and to his surprise and pleasure, the lid popped open.

"Amazing. Did Ise-san give you those pins?" Jushiro wondered how the woman had created this seal without Shunsui noticing things missing.

"She gave me this pair at least. A had another pair when Lisa-chan was my Fukutaichou. But I lost both of those." Shunsui quickly opened the lid to get his mind off of the past. It still hurt to think about.

Jushiro knew not to press the matter anymore. His friend carried a lot of scars. "What' strong." He looked over his friend's shoulder and found the source of his friend's confusion. "Another one?"

Shunsui does the same thing he did to the first seal. It vanished. He opened that box, and found another. Shunsui glared at the box with annoyance. "How many of these damn things are there?"

Jushiro put a calming hand on his friend's shoulder. "Just take a deep breath. Ise-san is well known for making sure things are safe and secure." He hoped his friend didn't do anything rash. And he also hoped Ise-san didn't use too many seals.

* * *

~28 boxes and 20 minutes later~

Shunsui picked up the small wooden chest. It was no bigger than his hand. "All of that, for this?"

"She obviously thought it was important enough." Jushiro amines the small little box. "Looks like it has a lock on it."

"And so it does." Shunsui gave the small little lock a tug, it gave him a shock. "Pesky little thing. Well, I don't have a key."

"Maybe your hairpin again?" Jushiro looked at the lock closely. It didn't look like to needed a regular looking key.

Shunsui shrugged as he took the box from his friend again. He turned his hairpin around and slid the tiny pink flower into the slot. He gave it a small turn.

*click*

"Wow. She really thought of everything." Jushiro wondered how long it had take Nanao to create such a lock and seals. She was certainly very good at it.

Shunsui opened the lid and frowned even more at the contents of the box. "Now what are these." Shunsui picked up one of the black rectangles. It felt like glass.

"I don't know. But they do seem a bit familiar." Jushiro couldn't help but think he knew what they were. But he couldn't remember.

"They do don't they?" Shunsui put the black piece of glass back in the box. There were at least a dozen more in the small chest.

"Why did it just show up now?"Jushiro had been wondering this since they had started opening the box. "Does this have something to do with Ise-san revealing that she is a Hollow?"

"I don't know. But my Nanao-chan doesn't do things without a reason." Shunsui closed the little chest. He was going to find out what they were.

* * *

~Heuco Mondo~

Wing stretched on the ledge she was on. She was tired and sore, but she could still go on for a few more hours. 'You don't get stronger by lazing about.' Wing could see several Minos keeping their distance. She smirked thinking how much strength she had gained in the weeks of hunting she had done.

Wing stood and flexed her muscles more. "You want to have a spar? The Minos aren't a challenge at all." Wing looked down at the ledge that was blow hers.

Starrk didn't even bother to open his eyes as he responded. Or even speak. He just shrugged his shoulders.

"But we haven't moved for hours! This is SO BORING!" Lilynette complained as she glared at her partner.

Wing scanned the area for any Reiatsus that could pose any sort of challenge. She couldn't find any nearby, but as she expanded her field of search, she came across a few. Wig looked down at Lilynette with a childish grin. "Hey Lilynette. Want to go find a fight?"

Lilynette was on her feet and jumping up and down. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"No." Starrk opened one eye to see if she was going to ignore him. It looked like she was ignoring him.

"Let's go." Wing took off and smirked as Lilynette kept up with her. She then noticed Starrk following them as well. 'So you can make him do things if you drag Lilynette along. Good to know.'

Wing followed the reiatsu to a cave a few miles away. She could feel at least three strong Hollows and several others. She stretched again as Starrk and Lilynette landed beside her. "So you came along?"

Starrk shrugged at the woman as he leaned against a boulder. "Nothing better to do."

Wing smirked as she turned back towards the cave. She could hear the hollows coming out to meet them. "Time for the fun to begin."

* * *

Wing had a large smile on her face that matched the green haired girl that was walking beside her. They had a great fight.

Lilynette looked up at the woman beside her. "Do you always fight like that? Using a lot of Ceros and only using your sword to finish the job? You seem to do whatever it takes to get the job done quickly." Lilynette had been very surprised when Wing had started fighting. She was glad they were on the same side.

"No. Usually I don't get a chance to fight. And when I do, I'm usually just support." Wing was glad she snuck out often to raise her own battle experience. Her Taichou didn't like her fighting. "When I was hiding among the shinigami. They had labeled me as the weakest Fukutaichou. Meaning the second strongest in my squad, but they stuck me with weakest of the 13 Fukutaichous."

"I don't believe you." Lilynette gave the girl a dead-pan look. "With the way you were fighting, there is no way of that. Next time think of a better lie."

Wing laughed at the girl's response. "You can always ask Ichimaru–"

"Pass." Lilynette could here snickering coming from her two companions. "The guy gives me the creeps."

They all walked up to Los Noches and waited patiently as the doors opened. They all froze when they saw a figure standing on the other side of the door with a closed eye grin on his face.

"Hey there. Dontcha look cozy." Gin smiled at the group of Espada that walked through the door. He had been waiting for them. He gave the small child her own grin as she his behind her partner.

"Is there something you require, Ichimaru-Taichou?" Wing noticed how he was tormenting Lilynette, she didn't like that.

Gin looked at the woman with a milder look. "I don't need anythin'. But I don't think ya should keep Aizen-Taichou waitin'. Wars 'bout ta start." They all looked out into the desert as a strong tremor rippled through the air. "Looks like it just started. Ya better get ta the meetin'."

Wing gave Gin a bow before she walked past him. She could feel Starrk and Lilynette following behind her, but Gin wasn't. 'What is he up to?' Wing shook her head as she continued down the hall. Now was not the time to worry about that. She was about to be in a war.

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	6. Battlefield

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

~day of the winter war~

Shunsui sighed heavily as he walked beside his friend. They were walking through the Dangai towards the human world. They were heading for the battle field. "Ma, why do things always have to end with a fight? Why can't it be over a cup of sake?"

"Enough Shunsui." Jushiro looked around them, but noticed that no one else was close enough to hear what they were saying. "You already got yelled at by Sensei. Don't go making it worse for yourself."

Shunsui continued to pout as they walked. "Why didn't Yamaji just include me on the recovery team? Why does it have to be the front line?"

Jushiro gave an exasperated sigh. "Sensei knows what he is doing. He knows who he needs and where he needs them. So stop complaining."

Both of them walked out of the glowing gate of the Senkaimon and joined the other Taichous and Fukutaichous that had already assembled. They stood in the air above the quiet town below them, and waited.

Shunsui tilted his hat down. "I really hope this doesn't turn into a war. A single battle...fine. But not a long drawn out war. The last one we were in was far too exhausting." Shunsui had no desire to be in a war. He still had nightmares about the other ones he had been whenever he got too drunk.

Jushiro looked out over the peaceful town below them. It almost didn't feel like they were about to have a battle. "I doubt your wish will come true. Very rarely does a battle of this scale not turn into a war."

The air began to quiver. All attention was drawn to a line forming in the sky. Slowly the line torn the sky apart and revealed a few figures walking out of it.

Shunsui eyed the figures with disdain. "I hate wars.

* * *

"Wing stood with her head bowed as she waited for Aizen to lead them to the world of the living. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into cold brown eyes. "Is it time, Aizen-sama?" Wing slowly stood up as smiled at her.

Aizen gave Wing a peck on her cheek as he smiled at her. "You've gotten stronger, my little Wing. And yes, it is time to claim victory." Aizen looked at his other Espada. "You all have your targets and objectives. Don't fail me."

Aizen turned to the tear that was in the air in front of him. He began walking out with a triumphant smirk on his lips.

Wing followed directly behind Aizen. She was his rear guard, and she wasn't going to let anything happen.

She blinked a few times as she walked into the bright sunlight and looked out over the silent city below them. Her gaze was drawn to the shinigami standing in front of them. "Ise Nanao. Explain yourself." Wing cowered a bit at the Soutaichou's demands, he scared her a bit ever since he attacked her with his reiatsu.

"My Wing does not require an explanation. She is my first Vasto Lord, she just needed a good hiding place where she could develop properly and become stronger." Aizen looked behind him as he spoke. He held his hand out and ushered Wing to stand directly beside him. He had an arm around her shoulder as his other hand was on her other shoulder. "Thank you once again for your assistance, Kyoraku-Taichou."

Wing noticed a familiar reiatsu flare up. Shunsui wasn't happy. Wing looked around at the city below them again. Something wasn't quite right. "Aizen-sama..."

"I have noticed it as well. You all think I wouldn't notice. This city below us is a fake, the real one is in Soul Society." Wing could see the shock that was on most of the shinigami's faces. "I will just have to go through you, and create the King's Key in Soul Society." Wing noticed other Gargantas opening around them. The Espada were now joining them on the battlefield.

Wing tensed as she felt the temperature increase and flames surround them. She looked around with a slight panic. She calmed once she felt the hand on her shoulder give her a reassuring squeeze. "Do not worry. Theses flames will not hold us for long. We shall wait till our exit plan arrives." Wing nodded, of course Aizen-sama would have a plan. He was a brilliant man.

"Shall I display what is going on outside the fire wall?" Wing could create images out of her reiatsu by observing the vibrations from the reiatsu outside the flames with her hair that acted like her antennas. She had always enjoyed spying on people this way. That was how she could always know about all of the gossip that was going on in the division.

Aizen gave the Espada a smile. "Yes. That would be lovely." Wing returned the smile as she opened herself up to the flow of reiatsu around her. She created a sphere of reishi between her hands that was about the size of a fairly large watermelon. In the sphere a scene played out, it was Hitsugaya and Tier. "Show me Yamamoto." An old man looking towards the wall of fire appeared on the screen. "Show me Starrk." Wing changed the image once more.

The screen showed Starrk facing off against Shunsui. She couldn't help but tense as their battle grew fiercer. "So Kyoraku has decided to fight. Excellent. Wing, when we leave this prison of fire, would you be so kind as to bring me Kyoraku's head." Wing nodded as she continued to watch their battle, not really having fully grasped what she had just been asked to do. She couldn't help but feel upset when Shunsui sustained any injuries.

After several minutes, the air quivered around them and the sphere dissipated into the air. "I'm sorry, Aizen-sama. I will create another screen." Wing set about gathering more reiatsu.

"No need my dear. Our release is eminent." Aizen kissed her cheek again as he held her hands in his. The flames were soon put out and they were free to join the battle. "Now then, go and bring me Kyoraku's head. And Starrk's as well if he does anything...suspiciou."

"Yes. Aizen-sama." Wing set off towards Starrk. She wasn't completely sure she could do what was asked of her. She didn't want to be a monster.

* * *

Please leave a comment or a question. Sorry for the shortness of it.


	7. Fly

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Wing could see two figures fighting Starrk, but they were no match for his Resurreccion. She saw a blade go through his chest and knew Shunsui was behind it. She saw his blades go at him again, she pulled out her sword and blocked both of Kyoraku's blades with ease. "Do not get distracted so easily, Starrk-san."

"Haven't I told you not to be so formal?" Starrk wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back. "You should be careful. He's dangerous." Starrk eyed the man he thought he had killed. He didn't like people who snuck up on their opponents. Even though he did it himself to avoid fights.

Wing moved away from Starrk while dodging another one of Shunsui's attack. "I know how dangerous he is. I have been around him for over a century." Wing blocked Kyoraku's swords with her katana again. She managed to fend him off with only one hand on her weapon. "You do not stand a chance, Kyoraku-Taichou."

Shunsui had to admit that he was surprised by Nanao's strength. She was holding him back with only a single hand. "It's good to see you too, Nanao-chan." Shunsui smiled at her happily, she looked mostly like her old self. The eyes were just a bit off with the black scleras. And he knew she wouldn't usually wear the outfit she had on.

Wing gave her former superior a venomous glare. "DON'T CALL ME THAT! I HATE IT WHEN YOU CALL ME THAT! I AM NOT THE CHILD YOU KNEW, I WAS NEVER THE CHILD YOU KNEW!" Wing lashed out at him with a purple cero in her hand. She shot it off at Shunsui, but it only went through empty air.

Wing sensed Kyoraku showing up behind her. She spun around. To meet him, but instead found him a few meters away. "Kageoni." Wing moved sideways so her shadow moved away from him, this was his shadow game. She paused, Shunsui wasn't following after her. She moved to attack when she noticed Lilynette behind Shunsui. She moved her shadow closer to him as she ran at him. He didn't attack her shadow, but blocked her frontal assault. He took the full force of the attack from Lilynette.

Wing moved away from the Taichou after the attack was completed. She landed beside Starrk as he continued to fight off the other two opponents. She pressed her back against his as she fired off multiple Ceros. "Where did Lilynette go? Did you use her too much?" Wing could not see the smoke wolves that would be Lilynette.

Starrk gave a grunt as he fired off a cero to keep the two fake Arrancar at bay while he formed blades out of his reiatsu. "Lilynette did that to herself. She was always over protective of me."

"I'm sorry." Wing knew that Lilynette and Starrk were always together. She knew how lonely he must feel. She knew she wasn't going to get a reply from the man. And they needed a way to win. "I'm going to release." Wing held her blade between her hands by its blade. She looked like she was praying. "Fly away, Polilla." The smoke around her cleared. Her wings laid flat against her back, her hands had a delicate looking claw at the end of each of her fingertips, and her clothes looked like they were made of a thinner material.

Shunsui was completely shocked by Nanao's release. He gave her a large smile as she locked eyes with him. "Nanao-chan looks like a pretty fairy. So beautiful and delicate but I think that is just an illusion. Nanao-chan is always very deadly."

Wing couldn't help but laugh a bit at his comment. "Always a flirt. But it doesn't matter. I know it's not true. So I don't need to hear anything more from you." She gave him a cold glare, as she suppressed the blush that was trying to stain her cheeks.

Shunsui could have sworn that he saw Nanao blush, but he couldn't be sure. "But my Nanao-chan always looks pretty. And I will always tell her that she looks pretty."

Wing took one step in Kyoraku's direction. She felt her hand connect with his shoulder as she passed him. She looked back and saw that he was missing a good chunk of his shoulder, but he still had a form grip on his zanpakutou. "Not bad. But I guess it is expected from a war veteran."

Shunsui took a deep breath as he tried no to black out. He could tell she had shaved off a bit of his shoulder bone. 'Damn that hurt. Going to have to be more careful of that.'

Shunsui,s attention was drawn back to the fight as he felt the other Espada attack him from the front. He blocked with his uninjured arm. He could not seem to be able to move his other arm that much.

Wing saw that he was preoccupied with Starrk at the moment. 'Now is my chance.' She took aim as she readied to attack, but she couldn't seem to take the step. 'Why can't i do it?' She quickly aimed for another spot and shot off.

Shunsui managed to force Starrk back as he felt one of his legs nearly give out on him. He looked over at Nanao as she lands beside the other Espada. "Nanao-chan has gotten very strong."

"And you seem to have gotten sloppy." Wing gave her former Taichou a glare. "The Kyoraku-Taichou I know, does take cheap shots like what I have been dealing. He can block and avoid any of them. Why is it different when I do it?" Wi gave the man before her a glare. She knew that Starrk had even aimed for some of the places she had hit, but Shunsui had blocked him everytime. 'So what are you doing getting hurt?'

Shunsui gave Nanao a gentle smile with his response. "I will accept any wounds my Nanao-chan sees fit to inflict upon me." The Hollowfied Nanao just stared at him in disbelief. "I could never harm my lovely Nanao-chan."

* * *

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	8. Sleep

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Wing stood frozen as Starrk moved to attack Shunsui again. She didn't understand herself anymore. She felt pain just thinking about what she had been ordered to do, but she didn't want to fail Aizen-sama. How had this man shaken her resolve so easily? "Black." She looked up as she saw Shunsui strike Starrk through his Hollow hole. She smiled, he had won.

*crack*

Wing looked around to try and find the source of the sound. She found nothing, except a pair of arms wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her close. She looked up into warm brown eyes and couldn't help but smile. It felt so right to be in Kyoraku's arms. 'What happened to me?'

"I finally have my Nanao-chan back in my arms." Shunsui kissed the top of her head and breathed in her scent. She still smelt of lavender and peppermint. Just like she always did. "I've missed my Nanao-chan."

Wing shook her head as she turned to face the man behind her. She smiled as tears ran down her cheeks. "I've missed you too, Shunsui." Wing hugged him tightly and whispered into his ear. "I love you."

Shunsui hugged her back with a smile on his face. "I love you too." He pulled away slightly and tilted Nanao's chin up. His lips covered hers as he kissed her gently.

*CRACK*

Nanao felt her hair fall around her face and her wings flutter and lift her up. But she didn't pull her lips away from Shunsui's, she didn't want it to stop. But she eventually fluttered too high for that to be possible.

Shunsui chuckled as Nanao fluttered above him. "Nanao-chan makes such a pretty butterfly." He held her at her waist, beneath were her wings fused with her back and gentle brought her back down to his level. "Pretty butterflies shouldn't go near fires."

"LIKE HELL I'M GOING TO LET YOU FIGHT ALONE." Nanao yelled at him like she used to. "I'm not that weak, Taichou." Nanao gave Shunsui a smirk as he pouted at her.

"Awe! Nanao-chan didn't use my name." Nanao couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, he was acting like nothing had happened to her. "Then stay close to me." Shunsui gave Nanao a kiss on her brow before heading to where everyone else was.

Nanao managed to keep up with Shunsui's shunpo, her wings helped to speed her up. She stood beside Sui-Feng and Hitsugaya as they faced Aizen. Neither gave her a glance, so she accepted it as them being comfortable with her near them. 'Anyone against Aizen is an ally I guess.'

"Are you betraying me, Wing?" Nanao shivered at the sound of Aizen's voice, how had she admire him so much? "Even after all I did. I gave you your name and a place to call home. I helped you grow stronger and have given y a life. Is this how you will repay me?" Aizen glared at his former Espada. He wasn't all that upset, but he didn't like being betrayed.

Nanao gave the man a cold glare. "I thank you for what you have done, but that is it." She moved above him in one step and then dove down towards him. She sped up her decent with her wings. Aizen blocked her attack easily, but blocking kept his attention on her. "Now!"

A pillar of ice blocked Aizen's back. And a blade ran through his chest from the shadows that he cast onto the ice pillar. Another blade broke through the ice and froze over his wound.

Nanao relaxed her arms. They were shaking from the impact of her attack. "It's done-"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Nanao's eyes widened as the image of Aizen faded, and Hinamori Momo stood in his place.

"Good job, Taichous." They all turned to see Aizen standing a ways away from them. He had a sinister grin on his face.

Nanao could feel the rage seep out of the others that were around her. In an instant she saw Hitsugaya-Taichou launch himself at the man. And the others try to stop him.

Nanao quickly brought her hand up to fire off a cero. But all she saw was a stump instead of her hand. "Wha–" Nanao looked down at her stomach, there was a sharp pain coming from it. Saw frowned as she saw nothing. But slowing she began to see the guard of a blade pressed against her stomach as blood came out of her wound.

"Hello, my little Wing." Aizen gave to woman before him a smirk as he grabbed her neck with his other hand. "I am very disappointed in you. I thought you had become stronger than this. And I thought you would have realized were your loyalty should lie. But I guess you are still an ignorant child." Aizen slowly withdrew his blade from the woman's stomach. "To think I even treated you like you were my own. You are a disgrace to your family name. So here is your punishment." Aizen brought his blade down on Nanao's back.

Nanao tried to scream, but the hand at her throat made it hard for her to even breath. Her eyes widened as she saw four wings fall to the ground.

Aizen could see tears starting to form in Nanao's eyes. "But don't worry. I am a merciful man. You don't live to live with the shame." He pulled the girl into a half embrace. One hand around her back, and the other through her chest. "Now...vanish." Aizen let her drop, he was done with her.

Nanao tried to breath, but he lungs didn't seem to be responding. 'So this is how I die? At least I'm not getting eaten." Nanao waited to feel the pavement, but it seemed to be taking to long. She slowly opened her eyes. The ground seemed to not be moving.

"Sleep, Nanao-chan. You're safe." Nanao couldn't see who was holding her, but she knew who it was. The faint scent of sake gave it away. She smiled as her consciousness slipped away.

* * *

Please leave a comment. Sorry for the short chapter.


	9. Starting Over

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Nanao slowly peeked her eyes open as she regained consciousness. She shut them tight quickly as a bright light met her eyes. She rolled from her side onto her stomach and turned her head away from the light.

Nanao frowned as she felt a weight shift on her back. 'Are my wings back on?' She tested to see if she could move her wings. And sure enough, she felt all four of her wings move. 'So I am still in my Resureccion. And Unohana-Taichou reattached my wings. Why? I'm an enemy.'

Nanao rolled over on her side again, her front hurt. She looked into the room that she was in. 'Must have been facing the window before.' She frowned as she saw pink on her shoulder. She ran her hand over the cool silk and smiled. 'Shunsui's kimono. It even smells like him.' She took a deep breath.

*grumble*

Nanao instantly clutched her stomach. 'Not again. I thought I got strong enough so this wouldn't happen.

Shunsui chuckled as Nanao reddened at the sound of her stomach. He gave her a smile as she looked at him. "Would Nanao-chan like me to bring her breakfast?"

Nanao looked anywhere else in the room but Kyoraku. "I doubt they would let you bring me a soul." Nanao buried her face in the kimono to hide the blush she knew was there. 'Where did his shirt go? I know I have his kimono, but where is the rest if it.' She looked over at Shunsui quietly. His chest was bare, except for the bandages that covered most of it. But she could still make out all of his muscles. 'My gosh he is-NOPE. Can't think of that. I'm a Hollow, he's a shinigami. It can't work.'

Nanao was pulled out of her inner thoughts when Shunsui's scent suddenly increased. She focused on what was in front of her again. And Shunsui's face a only a few inches from her own. "Shunsui?" Nanao spoke softly, as if she was trying not to scare him away.

Shunsui's eyes were sparkling with tears. "Nanao-chan. I'm glad you're awake. Unahana was worried you wouldn't heal properly, since she wasn't completely sure how to heal a Hollow." He tucked a strand of Nanao's hair out of her face. "I'm so glad you're safe. I'm sorry. I should have gone after you. I shouldn't have left you-" Nanao placed a finger over his lips, they were surprisingly soft.

"You don't need to apologize. I made the choice to leave, and I'm the one that should apologize. I kept the real me a secret from you, and I hurt you. More then just with my hand cutting through your skin." Nanao ran a hand over where she had injured him in battle. "I tore out the piece of your heart where I was. The sweet little child you had seen grow up, was nothing but a lie. I'm sorry." She could feel tears falling from her eyes, but none made it far down her face.

She couldn't help the blush that came as Shunsui kissed away her tears, it had taken her by surprise. "You have nothing to apologize for, my dear sweet, lovely Nanao-chan. You have always been yourself, and that is how I remember you." Shunsui smiled as he held Nanao's cheek in his hand.

Nanao smiled back at him while a thought bubbled to the surface of her mind. "What will happen to me?" She saw a sad expression creep onto Shunsui face, he didn't know. She gripped his hand that was on her cheek, she didn't want it to leave. "I'm still a Hollow." She looked through the Hollow hole on her wrist, marking her as a Hollow. "If they let Kurotsuchi-Taichou have me I just might kill the creep."

"I won't let them do that. And if he tries anything I will send him to hell...personally. " Nanao smiled at Shunsui's determination, maybe he truly did love her. "You belong at 8th, so you will stay at 8th. They most certainly can't say that I won't be able to keep you from devouring souls. My Nanao-chan is not an uncivilized Hollow."

Nanao laughed at his comment, he was trying to take her mind off of the worse possible outcome. Execution. And she knew he wouldn't let that happen without a fight. He was just like that.

"It's good to see that you have awakened, Ise-san." Nanao turned her gaze to the woman in the doorway, Unohana-Taichou. "Thank you for informing me that she had awakened, Kyoraku-Taichou." Unohana gave the other person that was in the room one of her 'hospitable' smiles.

Nanao giggled at the look her Taichou had on his face, he had forgotten to tell Unahana she had awakened. Nanao sat up slowly as Unahana walked towards her, catching Shunsui's Kimono as she sat up. Her wings were a bit sore, but otherwise intact. Her chest hurt more than anything. And it looked like her bandages were in need of a change.

"How do they feel? Can you move them?" Nanao rolled her wings in their sockets. They moved responsively, and without much pain. She leaned forward and spread them wide. She smiled as she saw the faded colours on them. "Looks like they reattached quite well. How do you feel altogether?"

"Chest hurts a bit, but that might be because the bandages are getting on the way of my instant regeneration." Nanao tried to see if she could find the end of the bandage that wound around her chest.

"Allow me to help you. Kyoraku-Taichou, don't you have a squad to get back to?" Unohana gave the man that was standing beside Nanao's bed another smile as she approached the bed.

Shunsui was about to say that they would be fine, but then he caught on to What was about to happen. "Oh. Yes I should check on them. See you back at the squad, Nanao-chan." Shunsui gave Nanao a kiss on the cheek before he left.

"Thank you, Unohana-Taichou." Nanao spread her wings out, it felt like the bandages would through them. She helped the healer as they removed the bandages that were wrapped around her chest. A hiss snuck passed her lips as the last of it was peeled away. The wound didn't look too bad. "No wonder I needed healing. If it was any worse than this, Instant regeneration wouldn't have worked." Nanao took deep breaths as a white substance covered her wounds and hardened. The white substance soon began to fall away and revealed flawless skin. 'It feels good to be whole.' She couldn't help but laugh at her own thoughts.

"Do you want me to find you something to wear?" Unohana got a nod from the woman.

"Breast bindings will work just fine. I just need so etching that won't constrict my wings. They're still a bit sore." Nanao rubbed a hand over where her wound had been. She could still remember what it felt like to have a hand thrust through it.

"There you are." The healer passed the Hollowfied woman a breast binding and waited for her to finish putting it on. "Now, if you would follow me please. Yamamoto-Soutaichou has asked to see you once you had recovered consciousness."

Nanao got off the bed and was glad that her legs supported her. "Then let's not keep him waiting." Nanao followed behind the healer. 'Let's see what the verdict is.'

* * *

~Soutaichou office~

Nanao wasn't too nervous about speaking with the Soutaichou. It was the blond man standing with the Soutaichou that made her nervous, and the grumble that was growing in the pit of her stomach. She was upset that she hadn't eaten enough to be rid of her hunger. "You asked to see me, Yamamoto-Soutaichou."

"I did actually." The man with the blond hair walked towards her with a cheerful smile on his face. She eyed the man suspiciously as he approached her. "Urahara Kisuke. Pleasure to meet you Ise-san." After his brief introduction, he slipped a pair of glasses onto her face.

Nanao recognized the glasses, they were her spare pair from her desk. She looked down at her wrist and found her Hollow hole to be gone. She wasn't too surprised, her wings had also vanished from her back.

"Fascinating. To think he figured out how to disguise a Hollow as a regular soul. It's remarkable." Nanao held still as Urahara probed at her wrist. She was glad it was this scientist and not Kurotsuchi-Taichou. This one seemed rather...docile. "Are you able to use your zanpakutou while you are wearing the glasses?" Urahara continued to examine the woman, he had never seen anything like this before.

"No. I tried shortly after he first gave me the glasses, but all it did was break them. Why do you ask?" Nanao didn't understand why they wished to know if she could use her powers if she looked like a normal shinigami. Shouldn't they be deciding what to do with her since she was a Hollow?

Yamamoto spoke when it seemed apparent that the scientist was not about to answer. "I am trying to find a way to use what resources I have been given. Only those involved in the battle yesterday know that you are a Hollow. In your Resurreccion, you do not resemble yourself." Nanao did not understand the Soutaichou's words. Was he trying to...help her keep her position? "Urahara believes he can keep you from being found out, but that will mean that you will never be able to use your Ressureccion again. Are you alright with that, Colourless Wing?"

Nanao looked back at her wrist as she took off her glasses. Her hole grew back...but was it smaller. Urahara seemed to notice as well. "That is curious. How did you do that?" Urahara examined her wrist thoroughly. "What ever you did, do it again." Urahara wanted to make sure it had actually changed, and it wasn't just his eyes playing tricks on him.

Nanao put her glasses on and watched the hole disappear once more. She then removed them again and stared in amazement as the hole reappeared at about half of it's original size. "I don't think that is normal." She deduced that twice more may cause the hole to vanish entirely. Did she want it to? Was she okay with losing her wings...forever?

Nanao slid her glasses on and off once more. The holes was nearly gone. She could still turn back. She could still keep her wings, but was that what she really wanted?

"What is your choice, Colourless-san?" Nanao looked up at the Soutaichou with a determined grin. Yamamoto kept his own grin from showing on his face. He knew the choice she was about to make.

"My name, Sir..." She slid her glasses onto her face. "Is Ise Nanao." She slid them back off, nothing changed. Her wrist was hole free, and the weight on her back hadn't returned. She was no longer a Hollowfied soul. "How do you think this happened, Urahara-san? Do you think the effects are permanent?" Nanao turned to the oblivious scientist. He was in deep thought, by the look of his face.

"It may be that you were able to obtain a 'heart'." Nanao looked at him with confusion. Urahara continued on his train of thought. "A Soul becomes a Hollow, when they lose their 'heart'. So it stands to reason that you can reverse the Hollowfication, with a 'heart'. However that most times includes killing someone, so I never tried it. But it seems, you created a new one for yourself. You probably created it while you were hiding." Urahara hoped he would remember all of this and write it down when he got back to his lab. This was an amazing discovery.

Nanao thought back to when she may have started growing a heart. She wasn't sure, but she guessed it was while she was in 8th squad. But there was a century of time in there. Who knew how long it had taken?

"Try to release your zanpakutou." Nanao looked towards the Soutaichou. He held out her zanpakutou. He wanted to make sure she was still at the same level she was before. He needed her at that level.

She walked forward and took it from him. As she walked away from him, she could hear the sound of swords sliding out of their sheaths. They weren't alone in the room, but she had expected that. She still wore her Espada uniform and with it, the eyes that gazed at the number on her leg. It marked her as the strongest of all the Espadas, and they had had enough trouble with the numbers 3-1.

Nanao slowly drew her blade out of it's sheath. The blade felt heavier than it normally did. 'Is someone there?' Nanao knew all about zanpakutou and conversing with them, but this was the first time she was doing so.

'I won't tell.' A childlike voice replied Nanao in her mind. 'Not until you prove you are who you say you are.'

Nanao felt a pull at her consciousness, she let it drag her into herself. It was a weird feeling, it fell like she was falling, but at the same time it felt like her feet were firmly planted on the ground.

* * *

Nanao slowly opened her eyes once the feeling of falling vanished. She looked around at the field she found herself in. There were flowers of every colour all around her. And it seemed to stretch for miles and miles. She looked up and found a bright blue sky with large puffy white clouds above her.

As she looked over the flower field again, she spotted a small child in the middle of a patch of purple flowers. The small girl's white hair was covered in petals, leave and grass. But her hair didn't look messy, it looked like they were placed there.

Nanao slowly approached the child. "Hello there." Nanao was surprised when the child's eyes met her's. They looked like a colour wheel. "Who are you?"

The child gave Nanao a blank look. "Do you know how to catch butterflies?"

Nanao was surprised by the girl's question. She was going to answer, but the girl kept talking. "I've tried everything, but they just won't come."

Nanao knelt down beside the girl and gave her a smile. "I used to catch butterflies when I was your age. But I didn't actually catch on till I was older. So I will show you my trick." Nanao looked around for a butterfly. She found a silver one on a pink flower in front of her. "First you want to take a deep breath to calm yourself down. Then you cover your hand with you reiatsu. Then you hold your hand out and wait." Nanao followed her own instruction as she spoke. Within a minute, the silver butterfly had landed on her hand.

"Wow!" Nanao giggled as the little girl stared in amazement. "It's so pretty. It' swings look so delicate."

Nanao examined the butterfly's wings. They looked like they were carved out of metal. "They are beautiful."

"What about mine?" Nanao looked over at the little girl. It looked like large pieces of silk spread out behind the girl. Her wings were a wide range of colours, and it looked like the colours were changing. Soon the girl was fluttering above Nanao. "I have wings too."

Nanao stood nod smiled at the child. "And they are very beautiful wings." Nanao wished that she could fly, but she had give up her wings.

"Can you fly?" The child looked at the woman curiously. She seemed to be sad.

"I used to, but my wings are gone. I can't get them back." Nanao watched as the girl lowered herself back to the ground.

"Then I will be your wings." The little girl smiled as the woman stared at her in surprise. "My name is Shiroga." The little girl held her hand out for Nanao to take.

Nanao reached out and took the little girl's hand. Suddenly, all of the butterflies that were hidden in the flower field took off and circled around them. Nanao looked around as thousands of butterflies flew around them. She stopped when she noticed something floating behind her.

Shiroga giggled at her master's surprise. "You can borrow those when you want to fly. Try them out."

Nanao concentrated like she did with her own wings. She noticed them twitch a bit. But it wasn't much, and they fluttered one after the other. Nanao sighed as Shiroga laughed at her attempt. "Figures. It took me several decades to master flying with my other wings. I guess it's going to take a while till I can fly with these."

"I will help." Shiroga looked at Nanao with hopeful eyes. "And I will work on catching butterflies."

Nanao giggled with her zanpakutou spirit. "We will help each other. Thank you, Shiroga. I'll be back soon."

"I don't doubt that." Shiroga waved as her master left the flower field. She was looking forward to their future together.

* * *

Please leave a comment or a question.


	10. Who I Was

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Nanao slowly opened her eyes and looked around her. Both the Soutaichou and the scientist seemed to be looking at her with a bit of worry.

"Is everything alright. Ise-san?" Urahara examined the girl curiously. She had been standing perfectly still for at least an hour.

Nanao stretched a bit as she slid her zanpakutou back into it's sheath. "Everything is just fine. Shiroga here is a sweet child. Not harmful at all."

"Good to see you have control over your zanpakutou. Ise-Fukutaichou. You were greatly missed in your absence." Yamamoto noticed the woman was a bit surprised by what he was doing. "You should change back into your uniform before you return to 8th squad." He watched as she walked towards them and took the uniform Sasakibe held out for her. "Do not go off like that again. It was something I would expect Shunsui to do, not his very professional Fukutaichou." Yamamoto hoped neither of them would vanish again. It was trouble for him either way.

"Sorry for the trouble, Yamamoto-Soutaichou." Nanao bowed as she left the room. She clutched the uniform in her arms tightly. 'I'm back.'

* * *

She went into the first bathroom she came across and changed. It felt good to be in a less revealing outfit. Since all she had left of her Eapada uniform were her shorts and boots. She slid her zanpakutou into her sleeve, it's normal spot, and tied her Espada uniform into a tight bundle. She would keep it, and remember what she once was. 'Maybe I could go back to Los Noches and pick up a full one. I can always alter it.' The last touch was pinning her hair back up, now she was ready to return.

She walked back to 8th with a smile on her face, she was going home. She took a deep breath as she walked through the gate. She had heard chatter as she walked on the outside of the wall, but it was now deadly silent. She looked around curiously, everyone was looking at her. She stopped in the middle of the courtyard and placed a hand on her hip. "If you all have time to stand about, maybe you can help me with the paperwork."

She saw a few people cringe at her words, then they all burst into loud cheering. "BOSS IS BACK! WE MISSED YOU BOSS!" Nanao easily avoided as people rushed at her and tried to hug her. But there was one set of arms that she couldn't avoid.

"Welcome back, Nanao-chan." Nanao looked down at whose shoulder she was now sitting on. She blushed as she instantly recognized the pink kimono and sakkat. "The squad has been worried about you." Shunsui smiled as he kept an arm on Nanao's legs to keep her in place.

"Taichou! What are you doing?! Your still injured! Put me down!" Nanao didn't struggle, she just yelled at him. She didn't want to injure him further by moving about on his injured shoulder. She frowned as Shunsui seemed to ignore her request and just smile at her. "At least tell me there isn't an office full of paper waiting for me."

"There isn't an office full of paper waiting for you." Shunsui nearly laughed at the look of disbelief on Nanao's face. "Shall I show you?" Shunsui took her off of his shoulder as she nodded. He kept a hand on her waist as they walked towards their office. He grinned the whole way there, Nanao didn't try to remove his hand from her waist.

* * *

Nanao was completely stunned when they reached the office. True to his word, there wasn't a scrap of paper on her desk or his. She walked to her desk and smiled as she noticed her Fukutaichou badge sitting on it. "It's been waiting for you to get back." Nanao turned back to Shunsui as she ran her fingers over it. She slid it back onto its rightful place on her arm. "And now, the finishing touch."

Nanao looked back at him as he slid a pair of glasses onto her face. "What are you doing?" She took the glasses off of her face, but Shunsui just slid them back on.

"Putting things right. They may only have been to keep everyone from knowing you were a Hollow, but they became a part of you." Nanao just looked at him as he spoke. "You may say that I didn't really know you, but I think I did. You love to read books and you never skip a page, even if it is boring. You always eat the fruit off of your dessert first. And you can fight with your zanpakutou in either hand, although you do seem to favour your left hand. Despite the fact that you say you are right handed." Shunsui didn't bother holding back the chuckle that bubbled in his chest. He seems to have surprised his Nanao-chan again.

Nanao pushed her glasses up her nose. "So you do pay attention. Do you fool everyone by playing the drunken fool? Because I doubt everyone knows much about you. I don't think they know how much you love philosophy, art and history. And that you have a great love of cooking. And that you sign all of your forms with your non-dominant hand on purpose. Despite being ambidextrous and all. Though you do favour your right hand more." Nanao fixed her glasses again as she finished. She leaned on her desk and smiled at Shunsui's surprised face. "You give quite a bit away, Shunsui."

Nanao expected him to pick her up and spin with her, but he didn't. He just smiled at her and pulled his hat down over his eyes. "It seems we both like to hide things in shadows. And when you are in a shadow, you can see into other shadows." Nanao was worried she had said too much. "You should take the rest of the day off. You deserve it." Shunsui turned to leave the office and let Nanao relax the rest of the day.

"Shunsui wait." Nanao pushed herself off of her desk. She had expected him to keep going, but he had stopped. "Did you get my package?"

Shunsui had a hand on the open office door. He looked back out of the corner of his eye. "Yes I did. But I don't know what to do with."

Nanao wasn't too surprised by that. It had been decades since she had made up that package. "Is your memory recorder still on the shelf?" Nanao looked on the shelf to try and find it, but it had been years since she had seen it.

Shunsui walked back into the office and shut the door. "Memory recorder? You mean that crystal ball thing you gave me one Christmas?"

"Yes. Do you know where it went?" Nanao took a few steps back as she looked for it on higher shelves. She spotted it, but knew it was too high up for her to reach it.

Shunsui walked over to the shelf and grabbed the ball. "So those were recorder chip?" Shunsui passed Nanao the recorder and followed her to the couches.

Nanao saw that the box of chips were on the coffee table. She set the recorder down beside the box and opened the lid. Nanao sat down on the couch and watched as Shunsui sat down beside her. "Pick one."

Shunsui looked at all of the black chips in the box. "How many are there?" He picked up the first one in the box and the recorder. He slid the chip into the bottom of the base of the recorder, then set it back down.

"A dozen or so. I have actually forgotten which memories I recorded." Nanao wasn't even sure which one Shunsui had chosen. She sat back and waited for the memory to start as the machine turned on.

* * *

Please leave a comment.


	11. Trip Down Memory Lane

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

~memory~

"Nanao-chan! Oh sweet beautiful Nanao-chan!" The door slid open quickly and light poured into the dark room. "Are you ready to go my lovely Nanao-chan?"

Nanao lifted her head up from her pillow and tried to wipe sleep from her eyes. "Ready for what dad?" Nanao just wanted to fall back to sleep. It was definitely too early to be up.

The man in the doorway walked into the room and knelt down beside the little girl. "For our family trip of course." Nanao smiled at the man beside her. He looked very much like her uncle Sosuke, but without the glasses or take smile.

"Zain. Let her sleep more. We still don't have to leave for a few more hours." A woman leaned on the doorframe. She smiled at her husband and daughter. They meant the world to her.

"But I'm up already." Nanao threw the blankets off of her legs. "Let's go!" Nanao smiled happily as her father picked her up and started tickling her.

"Can you go get a bag so Nanao-chan can pack some clothes, Serina?" Zain smiled at his wife. He swore she made him fall more in love with her eveyday.

Serina walked to her husband and gave him a kiss. "Alright. I'll be right back."

* * *

"Are those your parents?" Shunsui looked at the two people holding a child version of Nanao in between them. They seemed like a happy little family.

Nanao smiled as she looked at the three frozen in the memory. "They were. My dad was Aizen's twin brother. So I guess my name would technically be Aizen. But my dad thought it would be better if we used my mother's name. So it's Ise."

Shunsui nodded at her response. He chose another chip out of the box and switched it for the one they had just watched. He settled back into the couch as the next memory began.

* * *

~memory~

Zain knelt in the tall grass in the meadow behind their little cottage. "Nanao-chan! Come to daddy." Zain held his arms out towards the small girl that was sitting among the tall flowers.

Serina smiled down at her husband. "Sweetie, she's not even 1 yet." She couldn't help but giggle at her daughter's attempts to stand. But she kept reaching for flowers before she was fully standing. And was constantly falling and crushing the flowers.

"But I saw her walking the other day. I know she can do it." Zain watched as his daughter stood up and looked around at all of the flowers. "Nanao-chan! Come to daddy-chan!"

Serina laughed as a butterfly flew in front of her daughter's face and caught her attention. Her daughter then began to chase the butterfly.

Zain chuckled at how cute his daughter was. "See. I knew she could do it. My cute little Nanao-chan is amazing."

* * *

Shunsui couldn't help but feel sad for Nanao. She had a loving father and mother, but they were taken from her. He looked over at her. He could make out tears forming in her eyes. "Nanao? What happened to them?"

Nanao wiped her up fallen tears away. "I'm sure it's somewhere in that box. But I can show you myself." Nanao held her hand out for the memory recorder. Shunsui passed Nanao the crystal ball. Nanao took a deep breath. 'Time to finally get this off of my chest.'

* * *

Sorry that this is really short. Please let me know what you think of the chapter.


	12. Tragedy

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Nanao set the crystal ball down in her lap. "Before I tell you what happened to them, I'm going to tell you how they met. As I told you earlier, my father was Aizen Sosuke's twin brother. But much nicer and was completely selfless. My mother was a Vasto Lord from Heuco Mondo.

"My mother had come to Soul Society to find food. Because all of the Hollows she had come across were too weak to satisfy her hunger. And while she was here, she ran into my father. He was a shinigami on patrol in the area she landed in.

"My father tried to kill her, but like any romantic story, he fell in love with her the moment they met eyes under the moonlight." Nanao smiled as Shunsui chuckled. "Cheesy and romantic, I know. My father was very much like that.

"Anyway, my mother was shocked that my father was willing to be eaten by her. She had thought that all shinigami would kill any Hollow on site. So she decided she wouldn't eat him. But find out why he was willing to give her his life.

"So my father and uncle developed a device that would hide my mother being a Hollow. A crystal bracelet." Nanao pointed towards her desk. There were a few on top of her desk. "And my mother is also what started Aizen's interest in Hollow evelutions."

Shunsui nodded at Nanao's story of how her parents had met. It sounded like a love story he would read. "Then a few years later, Nanao-chan was born?"

Nanao giggled at Shunsui's observation. "Yes. I was born less than a decade later. And my own life as a Hollow started a few months after I turned 37."

* * *

~200 years ago~

A small girl sat on the branches of a Sakura tree. She had her nose in a book and wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings.

"Found you!" Nanao looked down from her branch as a pair of arms pulled her down from the tree. "I found my beautiful Nanao-chan! My little buttefly!" Nanao smiled down at her father as he spun around with her.

Nanao laughed with him as he sat her down on his shoulder. They walked away from the tree as the sun began to set. "Daddy, where's mommy? She usually comes with you when you come to get me from my reading spot." Nanao looked around trying to find the deep purple flash of her mother's hair. She couldn't see it anywhere. "Daddy?" Nanao looked down at her father, he seemed to have a sad look on his face.

Zain had grown quiet. Both looked ahead in silence. Neither said a word as they approached the little house nestled in the trees. No smoke came from the small chimney and no candle glowed in the windows.

Nanao felt her heart drop, what had happened to her mother? Where had she gone?

*ROAR*

Nanao looked behind them to try and see what had made the sound. A serpent like creature with a bone white mask charged into the clearing. "Daddy!" Nanao hugged her father's head, she was scared.

Nanao felt herself be picked up and set on the ground. She looked into the stern violet eyes of her father. "Run. Run fast, my sweet little girl." Zain kissed her on the forehead as he drew a weapon from his sleeve. "RUN NANAO!"

Nanao turned and ran to the little quiet house. She slammed the door shut and slipped as she backed away from the door. Her hands felt wet and sticky, her yukata and her feet as well. She picked herself up as the setting sun peaked out from between tree branches. The missing wall revealed what she was covered in, blood.

"Kya!" Nanao glanced around, the blood was everywhere. Mixed in with the blood, were long strands of almost black hair, they shone purple in the evening light. "Mommy? Mommy? NO!" Nanao ran back out the front door. "Daddy! Mommy's-" She stopped dead in her tracks as she watched her father being devoured by the snake like hollow.

The serpent Hollow looked up from her meal. She spotted a small child, and said child had a strong scent coming from her. "You're next, my dear." The serpent bent back down and swallowed the rest of her meal whole. She could always bring it back up later to enjoy it more. She then slithered her way towards that small child before her.

Nanao couldn't bring herself to move, this couldn't be real. Weren't shinigami suppose to get rid of Hollows? Where were they? Nanao couldn't bring herself to cry or scream, she was just too shocked. She didn't fight back as the Hollow swallowed her whole.

Nanao curled up into a small ball. 'So this is the end? No. This won't end here.' Nanao could feel something cracking along her skin. Voices around her screamed and yelled at her. But as she listened more, the other voices around her grew silent. 'You won't have me.' She broke from the hard shell surrounding her. "I'm free, but who am I?"

* * *

The little girl looked down at herself. She had claw like hands that were black with a hole in her right wrist. Her legs were black to the knee. She rolled the muscles on her shoulders and felt four weights move about. She had wings on her back. The antenna on her head picked up sound coming from somewhere. But she was too confused about where she was to know what was a threat and what wasn't.

"So I was too late." The girl turned towards the voice, a man dressed in black walked towards her. "To think my brother would fall to such a weak Hollow, but it seems his daughter was strong enough to fight back."

The girl tilted her head as the man approached her. She didn't understand the fear that she felt, but she understood what he was saying. "You know who I am?" Her voice sounded differently than she thought it should be. "Who are you?"

"I am your uncle, Nanao. I am Aizen Sosuke, your father's brother. Do you not remember?" Nanao was weary of the man, she did not trust him.

"No I do not. You say my name is Nanao, but my mind tells me a different name. Wing, Colourless Wing." She spread her wings, causing a strong wind to blow through the meadow. She knew her instincts were right. But why did the other name sound familiar to her as well?

"That is your Vasto Lord name, Wing. But you still have much to learn. Where are your mother's glasses? She just got them a few days ago." Wing looked at him curiously, what was he talking about? Did she even have a mother? "Come. Let's go look for them." Aizen extended his hand for the small Hollow to take. She as still the size of a small child, and he didn't know if she would grow.

The girl followed the strange man to a clearing with a house tucked into the trees at the far end of it. She vaguely remembered it, but couldn't name where she knew it from. They approached the house and she began to notice how beat up it was. One side was missing and the front door swung on broken hinges. The inside was splattered with half dried blood. She could pick up the scent of a Hollow.

"Have you noticed? The woman who is coating the walls, wasn't a regular soul. She was a Hollow that my brother had fallen for. He figured out how to hide her identity of being a Hollow by giving her a fake 'heart' in the form of these." Wing drew closer to him as he picked up a pair of glasses. He slid them onto her face. "Now they will hide you, Nanao."

Wing looked up at him. Then she looked down at herself and found herself to be in the form of a small child. "Am I really just a child? How did this happen?" She examined her small hands and the rest of her body. She felt it was oddly familiar.

"There should be a yukata you can wear in your room. I'll show you where it is, and from now on you are Ise Nanao." Nanao followed the man through halls till they reached a room that had butterflies hanging from the ceiling. "While you are hiding, don't take off your glasses. I'll go look for your mother's bracelets while you get dressed."

"How long will I be hiding?" Nanao walked into the room, it felt cozy. But she didn't understand why she needed to hide. Was something trying to harm her?

"Till I collect you. At that time, I will allow you to be in your true form." Nanao nodded as she walked to the closet and dressed in a purple yukata. She returned to the hallway and waited for her uncle to return. "Here you are. Wear one of these when you sleep." She held out her hand as he dropped two crystal bracelets into it. "I will take you to the shinigami Academy. It is important that you learn how to fight. Then you can survive, but don't show anyone how powerful you truly are."

"Understood. Aizen-sama." Nanao walked behind him as they exited the little house. "When I join the shinigami, should I act like I don't know you?" Nanao didn't like the light feeling her back had. It felt off to be in the body she was in.

"Yes. Everyone thinks my brother and his family was killed by a Hollow." Nanao nodded as she followed him. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew she would do anything for him. He was helping her, and being indebted to him didn't sit right with her.

"What do you want in return?" Nanao looked at him critically, he seemed like a calculating man. His glasses refracted the moon light and hid his eyes from her.

"Nothing for now, but I will collect the favour at a later date." Nanao took his icy glare with a neutral one of her own. He scared her, but she didn't want it to show. "Come. The Academy awaits." Nanao said nothing as he picked her up and took off for the academy.

* * *

Please leave a comment or a question.


	13. My Happy Ending

I do not own Bleach.

* * *

Nanao set down the memory recorder as the memory finished. "And after that, I was enrolled in the Academy. Then when I was in my final year, Yadomaru-senpai found me. She got me into 8th squad as soon as I graduated." Nanao was glad that she didn't join 5th squad.

"And you know the rest of the story after that." Nanao looked patiently at Shunsui. She was worried she may have told him too much, he was staring at her blankly. "Shunsui?" She gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

She stiffened slightly when he pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry, Nanao-chan." Nanao was about to reply, but he continued speaking. "For you to have had to hide such a secret for so long, I'm sorry I wasn't the person you could feel safe talking to. It just shocked me, that you are related to that bastard and that he would do that to his own family. You deserve better than that. You deserved the loving mother you had and the father that tried to protect you." Nanao rested her head on his shoulder, she was glad he was here for her.

"How do you remember what happened before you were a Hollow? You said he explained everything to you after you became a Vasto Lord. How did you gain your memories back?" Nanao looked up into Shunsui's eyes. She could have sworn they sparkled with something, something she couldn't quite name.

"When I slept, I would see memories. Hollows don't dream, they just see what those they have devoured have seen." Nanao looked away, she couldn't look at him for the next bit of what she had to say. "I have eaten souls. In my memories are some from my parents' pasts. Including some from souls I don't even know. Those are from my mother. She was also a Hollow."

"So, Nanao-chan was half Hollow to begin with?" Nanao nodded as she felt Shunsui's arms loosen around her slightly. "And Nanao-chan's family name was Aizen?" Another nod. "Seems I wasn't that good of a superior. I didn't even know the family of my own Fukutaichou." Nanao was going to tell him otherwise, but he stopped her with a question. "Was there anything that I did know?"

Nanao wanted to tell him he did, but she couldn't think of anything that she had told him that was truth. "It's not your fault. I didn't trust you. You were a shinigami and I was a Hollow. I just pretended to trust others, but you changed that." She got up from the couch and walked to her desk. "You and your inappropriate behaviour. I was flattered that you would flirt with me, despite what I was. I would tell myself that it was because you didn't know, but some part of me didn't believe that. That part, I think, became my new heart."

She faced him again and met his eyes with a strong look. "I did what I had to, to survive. You aren't to blame for not knowing who I was. It was my choice to hide it from you and my fault alone. You weren't the first one I lied to. That would have been Yadomaru-sempai when she asks about my zanpakutou."

"How did you get that past Lisa-chan?" Nanao laughed a bit remembering what she had told everyone her zanpakutou could do. Shunsui gave Nanao a confused look. Which seemed to make her laugh more. "What did you do, my lovely Nanao-chan?"

"Do you remember what I told you about my...uh...fake zanpakutou I guess." She leaned on her desk as she watched Shunsui try and it figure out on his own.

"You said it helped make your kido more powerful." Shunsui looked at Nanao as he thought of a theory. "You just restricted your power when you weren't using it. Then used your full power when you 'released' your Shikai." Shunsui smiled as Nanao rolled her eyes when he used his hands to accent the 'release'. "Of course my beautiful and smart Nanao-chan would come up with such a plan. But where did you get a sword that didn't look like a blank zanpakutou that everyone is given?"

"It was my father's. Aizen left it in my room one night. I guess he thought it was becoming suspicious that I still didn't have a zanpakutou." Nanao was going to move onto another topic, but a knock at the door stopped her. "Enter."

A girl with short hair peaked into the office. "I have today's paperwork." She held up a small stack of papers. Nanao smiled as she walked up to the girl and took the pile. "There was still more at the paper office, but they wouldn't let me take all of it."

"I will send them a notice to release the paperwork." Nanao sighed as she walked back to her desk. "Looks like our work continues, Tai-" She saw that wasn't in the room anymore. And that the window by his desk was open. "KYORAKU-TAICHOU!"

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The End

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Thank you for reading. This is the new edited version. I erased the other one and posted this one so that people could repost comments. Let me know what you think of the change.


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